Barry John, 1945 to 2024

That this House mourns the sad passing of the great Welsh rugby union outside half Barry John, born and raised in the Gwendraeth Valley village of Cefneithin in Carmarthenshire; notes that Mr John played his club rugby with Llanelli and Cardiff, was capped for Wales for the first time in 1966 and represented his country on 25 occasions before retiring in 1972 aged 27; acknowledges that he is recognised as the greatest Welsh outside half; further notes that Mr John toured with the British and Irish Lions to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, winning five test caps; also notes that during the momentous 1971 Tour, Mr John scored 30 of the 48 points scored by the Lions in the series, the only time the Lions have won a series in New Zealand; remembers that during the tour Mr John was labelled the King by the New Zealand media and supporters; and recalls that Mr John is immortalised in the Max Boyce poem named the Outside Half Factory – Disaster struck this morning, when fitters mate Ron, cracked the mould of solid gold, that once made Barry John.