JOHN PHILLIPS ‘JACK’ JONES

1886-1951

"THE PRINCE OF CENTRES"

by Ray Ruddick

Most people in the world of rugby have heard of the Pontypool Front Row, but the name of Jack Jones may not be so familiar.  He was the youngest of four brothers, three of whom played rugby for Wales and two, Jack and Tuan, represented British teams abroad. Jack was Pontypool ’s first rugby ‘great’.

He played rugby at school and senior rugby for nearly 20 years in the early part of the 20^th century. Jack, who achieved every honour in the game, was acclaimed as ‘The Prince of Centres’ in South Africa and was considered to be one of the great players of his time.

JACK JONES – HIS LIFE AND CAREER    

Jack Jones was the first Pontypool rugby ‘superstar’ and one of Welsh rugby’s all-time ‘greats’ who gained admirers throughout the rugby world.  John Phillips Jones was born at what was known as the Truck Shop, Pontymoile on 2 March 1886 .

On 13 October 1906 , Pontypool travelled to Plymouth to play Devon Albion, one of the leading clubs in Britain at the time, without two star players. The Albion were five points up in as many minutes when they hoisted a high ball to the Pontypool posts. A tall, rangy twenty-year-old took the catch and shaped to kick to touch. With the Albion forwards fooled, the young centre tucked the ball under his arm and set off up field. After a series of dazzling swerves and hands-off, only the full back stood in his way. He was pushed out of the way and Pontypool had equalised in the most spectacular manner. The visitors went on to win by 20 points to 8 – a result that sent shock waves throughout the rugby world.  This result was instrumental in gaining Pontypool first class status and the outstanding player in the Pontypool side, scoring that superb try was, of course, Jack Jones. He was captain of Pontypool in season 1907-08, the first season for Pontypool as a senior Welsh club.

In the first game against Wairarapa-Bush at the Recreation Ground, Masterton, it was evident from the start that the tourists were easily the better team. The forwards secured good possession and it was not long before the first points of the tour were scored. The ball travelled along the Anglo-Welsh backline to Jack, who sold a dummy before grounding the ball in the corner for an unconverted try. Jack had a hand in the last try of the game and the tourists ran out 17-3 winners. He had a good game against Otago at Carisbrook, Dunedin even though the tourists lost 9-6 and, in the game at Rugby Park , Invercargill against Southland, Jack made a brilliant run just before half time which led to a try by winger and captain for the day Pat McEvedy. Jack played well and scored another try in the 13-8 defeat by Canterbury at Lancaster Park , Christchurch and made some good openings against West Coast-Buller at Victoria Park, Greymouth with the British side recording one of the best wins of the tour (22-3). He scored again against Nelson-Marlborough at Trafalgar Park , Nelson when he ran through the local backs and claimed an unconverted try. This was a game in which brother Tuan shone. Against Hawkes Bay at the Recreation Ground, Napier, Jack made a clever run and gave a scoring pass to fellow Welshman, Johnny Williams, in a 25-3 win.  It was a good display by the Anglo-Welsh team with the Jones brothers the best of the backs. The tourists then went to Palmerston North and defeated Manawatu-Horowhenua at Showgrounds Oval by 12 points to 3 with Jack, once again, having a hand in one of the Anglo-Welsh tries. In the Wanganui game at Cook’s Gardens, which was won 9-6, the Jones brothers were the pick of the backs on show.  

Jack joined Newport in the 1908-09 season and won the first seven of his Welsh caps as a Newport player, making his debut against Australia at Cardiff Arms Park in December 1908, four years after his first Welsh trial. In the match against France in Paris in 1909, Jack had an outstanding game, scoring two tries himself and making most of the nine others Wales scored. He also scored one of the four tries that beat Ireland for the 1909 Triple Crown and Grand Slam. He scored a try in the return game with France at St Helen’s on New Year’s Day 1910 and was in the first Welsh team to play at Twickenham a fortnight later. Jack was dropped after the defeat at Twickenham and was kept out of the Welsh side until 1912 by the Cardiff three-quarter line.

On Jack’s return, he was approached by Wigan and Bradford Northern Rugby League Clubs to ‘go north’ but he rejected their offers. Instead, he re-joined Pontypool in December 1910, captaining the club from 1911 to 1913 and going on to play for Wales on another seven occasions. He was a member of the Pontypool team that became Welsh Club Champions for the first time in the 1913-14 season. In his two seasons with Newport he scored 9 tries in 45 appearances. Whilst at Newport he ‘guested’ for London Welsh at Bristol in April 1909.

He was recalled to the Welsh team in 1912, playing out of position on the wing against England at Twickenham. He was back in the centre versus France two months later in the last international match played at Rodney Parade, Newport , scoring a try. He played in the Welsh victory in Paris in 1913 where he was christened ‘The Flying Dutchman’, and, in March of the same year, was selected as captain of the Welsh team which defeated Ireland scoring his sixth and final try for his country.  This was his last game for Wales before the Great War. In March 1913, Jack became the first player from the Pontypool club to play for the famous Barbarians, against Cardiff .

During the First World War, Jack was assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the 28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles), a volunteer battalion formed in the nineteenth century for musicians, sculptors, painters and the like.  It was a breeding ground for many fine soldiers who were later commissioned into front-line divisions. Jack, however, was unable to fire a rifle due to a broken collar bone sustained on the rugby field. He joined up sometime between 7 December 1917 and 24 January 1918 . He was a Private, with the service number 767452.  The 3rd Battalion remained in Britain and formed an Officer’s Training School. Whether Jack was in this battalion to assist in the training of others or to be trained himself is unknown.

After the war, Jack played in the Welsh victories over France in Paris and Ireland in Cardiff in 1920. However, he fractured his collar bone for the third time in his career playing for Wales against England at Twickenham on 15 January 1921 . It happened about five minutes before half-time but he played on bravely to the end of the game, despite being in great pain. This was his last international. Jack was one of only 7 Welsh players to have been ‘capped’ before and after the Great War. The others were Clem Lewis ( Cardiff ), Walter Martin ( Newport ), Glyn Stephens (Neath), Harry Uzzell ( Newport ), Tommy Vile ( Newport ) and Jack Wetter ( Newport ).

John Phillips ‘Jack’ Jones died of heart failure at his home at Llantarnam (now Llanfrechfa) on 19 March 1951 aged 65 years.  Jack’s funeral was arranged by Cliff Pritchard, a funeral director from Capel Street , Pontypool and the former Pontypool and Wales centre. The funeral took place on 23 March 1951 and the bearers were all former Pontypool players – William Vallis, Tom Probert, George Veater and Joe Williams. Jack was laid to rest in the same grave as his brother, Ponty, at All Saints Church, Llanfrechfa.

JACK JONES - HIS BROTHERS

Jack had three older brothers – David Phillips ‘Ponty’ Jones, Edward Phillips Jones (who died at a young age) and James Phillips ‘Tuan’ Jones.  David ‘Ponty’ and James ‘Tuan’ also went on to play for Wales and Tuan for the Anglo-Welsh team. The only other family to boast three brothers who all played for Wales was the Goulds from Newport back in the late 19th century. 

The eldest of the brothers, David Phillips Jones, known as Ponty, was born at Pontymoile on 10 December 1881 . He was educated at Usk Grammar School . He played for the old Pontymoile club and played several games for Newport before joining Pontypool , making his debut at Ebbw Vale on 7 December 1901 . In his Pontypool career, he scored 556 points, including 172 tries. He scored 49 tries in the 1904-05 season, and a then club record 6 in the game against Talywain in April 1905. This record stood for 98 years and was broken by Lenny Woodard who scored 7 tries against Treorchy in May 2003. A classy wing, Ponty scored so many tries at the Recreation Ground that the nearest left corner looking from Conway Road was nicknamed ‘Ponty’s Corner’. He captained Pontypool from 1904 to 1907 and won his only Welsh cap against Ireland in 1907, scoring a try. He represented Monmouthshire, scoring Monmouthshire’s first ever try, and played for London Welsh.  He also played soccer and had a Welsh amateur soccer trial.  A broken hip eventually ended his rugby career in the 1911-12 season.  He served in the South Wales Borderers during the Great War. A bachelor, Ponty, who was a professionally trained harpist, died of pneumonia at his home at Llantarnam (now Llanfrechfa) on 9 January 1936 .  

James Phillips Jones pictured in Kent kit

James Phillips Jones, known as Tuan, was a doctor of medicine. He was born at Pontymoile on 23 November 1883 and attended Christ College , Brecon. He joined Pontypool in the 1905-06 season. Tuan played for Kent against South Africa in 1906 whilst a medical student at Guy’s Hospital and went on to be a General Practitioner in Meopham in Kent . A centre or outside half, he joined his younger brother Jack on the 1908 Anglo-Welsh tour to New Zealand and Australia , playing in the Second and Third Tests against the All Blacks. Tuan played for Monmouthshire against the 1912 Springboks and won his only Welsh cap against Scotland in 1913, scoring a try. He also played for London Welsh. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Great War and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry. Tuan, who was a useful cricketer, emigrated to Australia after the First World War where he married his wife Pat. The couple had two children, Edward and Elizabeth. He was at the Victoria versus British Lions game played at Melbourne in 1959 and met up with the two Pontypool Lions on that tour, Ray Prosser and Malcolm Price.  Dr James Phillips ‘Tuan’ Jones who, as far as can be established, was the last surviving member of the Anglo-Welsh squad, died at Melbourne on 4 December 1964 .

JACK JONES – THE REST OF HIS FAMILY

Jack’s father, Alderman David Jones, hailed from Rhydlewis near Newcastle Emlyn. He came to Pontypool and ran a grocery business at what was known as the Truck Shop in Pontymoile. This building still exists today in the form of flats. His mother Margaret (nee Phillips) was born at Pencaedren Farm, Gelligaer near Treharris and came to Pontypool as an apprentice dressmaker. Jack’s mother and father were married at Mount Pleasant Church , Pontypool . The family moved to Trosnant Lodge, Pontypool around 1890. Alderman David Jones died in 1919 and his wife in March 1927, just a few months before Jack married Ethel Gwendoline Williams.

Ethel, who was born at Cwrdy Farm, Griffithstown on 10 April 1891 , met Jack when she went to pay a bill at Jack’s colliery business. They were married at New Inn Congregational Church on 3 August 1927 . Jack and Ethel’s daughter Margaret Mary Gwendoline Phillips Jones was born at Trosnant Lodge, Pontypool on 17 June 1929 . In September 1930 Jack, his wife and young daughter moved to Llantarnam (now Llanfrechfa) to a house they also named Trosnant Lodge where their son, Stanley John Phillips Jones was born on 16 October 1933 .

Jack’s daughter Margaret attended the County School , Pontypool and then worked in a bank. She married Stuart Benson in 1956 and moved to Bristol then Weymouth . They had four children – Susan, Amanda, Julie and Richard. Stuart’s father was Trevor Benson, a wing or full back who played rugby for Cross Keys and Monmouthshire in the 1920s, helping the Keys to the Welsh Club Championship in the 1921-22 season. Margaret, now a widow, still lives in Weymouth .

Son Stan, named after his mother’s brother who was killed in the First World War, also went to West Monmouth Grammar School where he played for the school’s cricket and rugby teams. He was in transport management with British Ports until his retirement. Stan is single and still lives in the family home at Llanfrechfa.  

JACK JONES - STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

Full Name : John Phillips Jones         Position : Centre

Born: 2 March 1886 at Pontymoile             Died : 19 March 1951 at Llantarnam (now Llanfrechfa)

Playing Career: West Monmouth Grammar School ; Christ College , Brecon; Pontypool ; Newport ; London Welsh; Barbarians; Monmouthshire; Wales ; Anglo-Welsh; British Isles

ANGLO-WELSH - 1908 tour to New Zealand and Australia  

21 appearances, including all 3 tests, scoring a total of 9 tries

• 23 May v Wairarapa-Bush at Recreation Ground, Masterton, won 17-3, scored 1 try

• 27 May v Wellington at Athletic Park, Wellington, lost 13-19

• 30 May v Otago at Carisbrook, Dunedin, lost 6-9

• 3 Jun v Southland at Rugby Park, Invercargill, won 14-8

• 6 Jun v New Zealand (1st Test) at Carisbrook, Dunedin, lost 5-32

• 13 Jun v Canterbury at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, lost 8-13, scored 1 try

• 17 Jun v West Coast-Buller at Victoria Park, Greymouth, won 22-3

• 20 Jun v Nelson-Marlborough at Trafalgar Park, Nelson, won 12-0, scored 1 try

• 27 Jun v New Zealand (2nd Test) at Athletic Park, Wellington, drew 3-3, scored 1 try

• 1 Jul v Hawkes Bay at Recreation Ground, Napier, won 25-3, scored 1 try

• 8 Jul v Manawatu-Horowhenua at Showgrounds Oval, Palmerston North, won 12-3

• 11 Jul v Wanganui at Cook’s Gardens, Wanganui, won 9-6

• 25 Jul v New Zealand (3rd Test) at Alexandra Park, Auckland, lost 0-29

• 5 Aug v New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground, won 3-0

• 8 Aug v New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground, won 8-0

• 12 Aug v Western Districts at Wade Park, Orange, lost 10-15

• 15 Aug v Metropolis at Sydney Cricket Ground, won 16-13

• 22 Aug v New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground, lost 3-6

• 26 Aug v Queensland at Brisbane Exhibition Ground, won 20-3, scored 3 tries

• 29 Aug v Queensland at Brisbane Exhibition Ground, won 11-8

• 2 Sep v Brisbane at Brisbane Exhibition Ground, won 26-3, scored 1 try

BRITISH ISLES - 1910 tour to South Africa

20 appearances, including all 3 tests, scoring at total of 4 tries and 1 drop goal

• 11 Jun v South Western Districts at Mossel Bay, won 14-4

• 15 Jun v Western Province Country at Newlands, Cape Town, won 9-3

• 18 Jun v Western Province Colleges at Newlands, Cape Town, won 11-3

• 22 Jun v Western Province Town at Newlands, Cape Town, drew 11-11

• 25 Jun v Western Province at Newlands, Cape Town, won 5-3

• 29 Jun v Griqualand West at Kimberley, lost 0-8

• 2 Jul v Transvaal at Wanderers, Johannesburg, lost 8-27

• 5 Jul v Pretoria at Pretoria, won 17-0

• 7 Jul v Transvaal Country at Johannesburg, won 45-4, scored 1 try

• 13 Jul v Natal at Pietermaritzburg, won 19-13

• 16 Jul v Natal at Lord’s Ground, Durban, won 19-13

• 20 Jul v Orange River Colony at Rambler’s Ground, Bloemfontein, won 12-9

• 23 Jul v Griqualand West at Kimberley, lost 3-9

• 27 Jul v Cape Colony at Kimberley, lost 0-19

• 30 Jul v South Rhodesia at Bulawayo, won 24-11

• 6 Aug v South Africa (1st Test) at Wanderers, Johannesburg, lost 10-14, scored 1 drop goal and was captain

• 10 Aug v North Eastern Districts at Burgersdorp, drew 8-8, scored 1 try

• 13 Aug v Border at East London, won 30-10, scored 1 try

• 17 Aug v Border at King William’s Town, drew 13-13, scored 1 try

• 27 Aug v South Africa (2nd Test) at Crusaders, Port Elizabeth, won 8-3

• 3 Sep v South Africa (3rd Test) at Newlands, Cape Town, lost 5-21

WALES 

14 appearances scoring 6 tries, the first 7 caps from Newport and the final 7 as a Pontypool player

• 12 Dec 1908 v Australia at Cardiff Arms Park, won 9-6

• 16 Jan 1909 v England at Cardiff Arms Park, won 8-0

• 6 Feb 1909 v Scotland at Inverleith, won 5-3

• 23 Feb 1909 v France at Stade Colombes, Paris, won 47-5, scored 2 tries

• 13 Mar 1909 v Ireland at St Helen’s, won 18-5, scored 1 try

• 1 Jan 1910 v France at St Helen’s, won 49-14, scored 1 try

• 15 Jan 1910 v England at Twickenham, lost 6-11 (Wales' first match at Twickenham)

• 20 Jan 1912 v England at Twickenham, lost 0-8 (played on the wing)

• 25 Mar 1912 v France at Rodney Parade, Newport, won 14-8, scored 1 try

• 27 Feb 1913 v France at Parc des Princes, Paris, won 11-8

• 8 Mar 1913 v Ireland at St Helen’s, won 16-13, scored 1 try and was captain

• 17 Feb 1920 v France at Stade Colombes, Paris, won 6-5

• 13 Mar 1920 v Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park, won 28-4

• 15 Jan 1921 v England at Twickenham, lost 3-18

MONMOUTHSHIRE  

12 appearances, from Pontypool , scoring 3 tries, 1 conversion and 1 drop goal

• 25 Mar 1905 v Cumberland at Pontypool, won 17-8, scored 2 tries

• 16 Oct 1905 v Glamorgan at Pontypool, lost 6-8

• 19 Feb 1906 v Yorkshire at Pontypool, won 13-5, scored 1 try

• 1 Mar 1906 v Glamorgan at Cardiff, lost 4-11, scored 1 drop

• 22 Nov 1906 v Glamorgan at Cardiff, lost 3-24

• 26 Dec 1906 v South Africa at Newport, lost 0-17

• 13 Feb 1907 v South of Ireland at Abertillery, won 23-3

• 25 Feb 1907 v Yorkshire at Tredegar, won 12-3, was captain

• 28 Sep 1907 v Yorkshire at Ilkley, won 13-8

• 17 Oct 1907 v Somerset at Bath, won 17-3, scored 1 conversion

• 26 Mar 1908 v Stade Francais at Paris, won 13-6

• 9 Feb 1911 v Somerset at Newport, won 16-3

BARBARIANS  

1 appearance

• 22 Mar 1913 v Cardiff at Cardiff, lost 0-10

PONTYPOOL  

Debut 29 November 1902 v Machen (a) won 9-3. Last match 16 April 1921 v Neath (h) won 14-3

Scored 107 tries, 2 conversions, 2 penalties and 11 drops = 375 points

• 1902-03 did not score

• 1903-04 1 try = 3 points

• 1904-05 19 tries, 1 conversion and 2 drops = 67 points

• 1905-06 15 tries, 1 conversion and 5 drops = 67 points

• 1906-07 14 tries, 1 penalty and 1 drop = 49 points

• 1907-08 5 tries = 15 points – club captain

• 1910-11 7 tries, 1 penalty and 1 drop = 28 points

• 1911-12 19 tries and 1 drop = 61 points – club captain

• 1912-13 5 tries = 15 points – club captain

• 1913-14 16 tries and 1 drop = 52 points

• 1919-20 3 tries = 9 points

• 1920-21 3 tries = 9 points

NEWPORT

Debut 21 Nov 1908 v Gloucester (a) won 8-3:     Last match 29 March 1910 v Plymouth (h) won 22 -0, scored 1 try

45 appearances scoring 9 tries = 27 points

• 1908-09 17 appearances scoring 3 tries = 9 points

• 1909-10 28 appearances scoring 6 tries = 18 points

LONDON WELSH

• 12 Apr 1909 v Bristol (a) won 6-3

CHRIST COLLEGE, BRECON

• Played against Llandovery College at Llandovery in 1903, lost 0-19

This page has looked back at the brilliant career of a rugby legend in the hope that his achievements can be acknowledged and appreciated.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Jack’s son Stan for allowing me the opportunity to produce this work, for his kind assistance in recalling his father’s career and for access to Jack’s wonderful archive of memorabilia.  My grateful thanks to rugby historians and memorabilia enthusiasts Dave Fox and Mark Hoskins for their advice and guidance, to local history enthusiast Bryan Roden for the use of some photographs and to the World Rugby Museum for publishing this webpage.

Ray Ruddick, Griffithstown, Pontypool, February 2004

All text and photographs on this page are Copyright © Ray Ruddick & World Rugby Museum, and may not be re-produced without permission

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