The former Skewen, Neath, Cambridge University, Swansea, London Welsh and Wales outside half, won his only cap against France in 1960 at the age of 28 in a 16-8 defeat to France at the Arms Park in the final game of that year’s Five Nations Championship.
He was a typical, dashing Welsh outside half who as well as having instinctive running skills, could also kick well both out of hand and off the ground. His side-stepping runs electrified crowds throughout the UK.
He was the first of seven players from Neath Grammar School to go on to win a rugby Blue at Cambridge between 1955-1973. Where he led, Tony Lewis, Brian Thomas, Brian Rees, Dennis Gethin, Geoff Rees and Jonathan Smith all followed.
Born in Skewen, he was a scrum half at school and won international cricket honours with Welsh Schools. He would later play for Briton Ferry CC and the Glamorgan 2nd XI.
His senior rugby career began at Skewen and Neath while he was a student at Swansea University. He graduated with a BA honours degree in the summer of 1955 and then won a place at Cambridge.
While studying for a Diploma of Education at Jesus College he played for the university in the Varsity Match at Twickenham, which ended in a 9-5 defeat. His scrum half on the big day was the Irish international Andy Mulligan and opposite them were the international pair of Onllwyn Brace and MJK ‘Mike’ Smith.
All four joined forces in September 1956 on the Combined Oxford & Cambridge tour to Argentina. Richards had already experienced touring with the Universities Athletic Union (UAU) to Italy in January 1953 – he scored a try in the 3-3 draw between the UAU and Llanelli at Stradey Park on Christmas Day, 1952 – and also played for Swansea against Romania (1955), Italy (1956), Australia (1958) and South Africa (1960).
He also faced the Wallabies for the Combined Services at Twickenham on Boxing Day 1957. On the Oxbridge tour to south America he played in nine of the 11 games, including both ‘Test’ victories over the Pumas, and was in the side that won an end of tour seven-a-side competition.
After leaving Cambridge he did his National Service in the RAF, based in Hereford, and played in the Inter-Services Championship at Twickenham.
At club level, he made 161 appearances for the All Whites and scored 198 points. That came after he had made 40+ appearances for Neath.
He captained Swansea in the 1958-59 season and led London Welsh in 1963-64. He also received a call from the Barbarians to play against the East Midlands in February 1963.
His internationals aspirations coincided a period when the ‘Big Five’ were seeking a replacement for the seemingly ‘irreplaceable’ outside half, Cliff Morgan. Morgan had won 27 caps, captained his country and been the star of the 1955 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
Carwyn James had earned his first and only cap against Australia in 1958 and then the selectors turned to Aberavon’s Cliff Ashton. He played in six of the next seven games after Morgan’s retirement.
Richards made his first appearance in a Welsh Trial for the Whites v Reds on 4 November 1956 and went through the three matches without success, despite playing in the Probables in the final trial in the absence of Morgan.
When his chance finally came it was as after Ashton was dropped despite helping Wales to beat the Irish in Dublin 10-9. He was one of four changes from the Lansdowne Road side and the only new cap. He had his old Oxbridge tour partner Brace at scrum half, his ex-RAF centre Malcolm Price outside him and Swansea clubmates Dewi Bebb, John Leleu and John Faull around him.
Wales were hoping to win their third game of the championship, but fell to a French team that had made five changes from the team that had drawn 3-3 with England. Cardiff’s Ken Richards got the nod for the next international, against the touring Springboks nine months later, and then Alan Rees got a shot.
Ashton was recalled for one last outing in the ‘Smallpox’ match in 1962 before David Watkins stepped in and stayed put. Having started work as a schoolteacher at Christ College, Brecon, in October 1958, he moved to Portsmouth, to teach at Northern Grammar School, and then to London, where he became head of economics at Dulwich College.
During his time at London Welsh there were calls for him to be recalled by Wales, but even though he played in both trails at the end of 1962 he failed to convince the selectors. He also played county championship rugby for Hampshire.
From Dulwich he mov ed to Rugby School, where he became a much-loved Economics teacher, Housemaster in Cotton and a tutor in Tudor. He coached every team from U14 through to the 1st XV during his time at Rugby, where he lived until his death.
Despite failing sight – he was blind by 2000 – he never lost his enthusiasm for life and his love of sport. He became both captain and secretary of the England Blind Golf team.
The WRU sends sincere condolences to the family and friends of Bryan Richards.
Thomas Bryan Richards: 1 Cap (No 652); B: 23.11.1932 in Skewen; D: 16.12.2023 in Rugby.
