Player

Jack Matthews - Centre

Cardiff
Back
Jack Matthews
Height161
Weight93
Date Of Birth21/06/1920
Place Of BirthBridgend
EducationUniversity College, Cardiff, Bridgend County School
ClubsCardiff, Newport, British Army RU, Bridgend Ravens
RegionsHampshire
HonoursWales, British and Irish Lions, Wales Schools
InvitationalBarbarians
Dr Jack Mathews was born in Bridgend in 1920. With Bleddyn Williams, Mathews formed a centre partnership for Cardiff, Wales and the Lions that is regarded as one of the finest ever in the game. Mathews played 180 games for Cardiff and won 17 caps for Wales and 6 with the British Lions. In 1949 he played one game for Newport, turning out for the Black and Ambers against Falmouth during their tour of the West Country. The following day he was playing for Penzance – against Newport! A general practitioner by profession he travelled with the 1980 Lions as team doctor on their tour of South Africa.
From a youth he was a keen sportsman and in 1937 he won the Welsh AAA junior 220 yds title. A year later after spending three seasons in the Welsh Secondary Schools rugby team, and at the age of just 18 years old, he played in a senior Welsh trial.
Jack Matthews was nicknamed ‘Ironman’ and in 1943 (whilst stationed with the RAF at St Athan) he showed how well deserved the name was. In an amateur boxing contest, he fought against Rocky Marciano (later to be undefeated World Heavyweight boxing champion) and held him to a draw. Mathews continued his connection with the sport after retiring from rugby and became the medical officer to the Welsh Boxing Association.
In 1981 he received the OBE in the Queens honours list. He was the Chairman of Cardiff Rugby Club 1954 - 55 and was appointed honorary physician to the Welsh Rugby Union in 1974. In 1999 Dr Jack was inducted into the Cardiff Rugby Hall of Fame and further information regarding his life and career can be found in that section of the club website.
Jack Matthews died in Cardiff in 2012 at the age of 92.
PLAYER FOR P W D L TRY CON PEN DG PTS
Wales 17 8 2 7 4 0 0 0 12
British and Irish Lions 6 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 23 10 3 10 4 0 0 0 12
TEAM P W D L PF PA PTS
Newport 22 19 0 3 725 396 94
Llandovery 21 19 0 2 690 331 90
Ebbw Vale 20 14 0 6 615 384 71
Cardiff 21 12 1 8 579 492 63
Pontypridd 21 10 1 10 470 501 53
Pontypool 19 11 0 8 480 455 51
Merthyr 18 10 0 8 458 470 49
Aberavon 20 8 0 12 462 556 46
Bridgend Ravens 20 8 0 12 423 539 41
Swansea 19 5 0 14 377 540 30
RGC 1404 18 5 0 13 354 489 28
Carmarthen Quins 19 4 0 15 416 541 28
Neath 20 3 0 17 330 685 19