Arthur Lewis, one of Ebbw Vale’s all-time great players who was one of the unsung heroes of the early part of the Golden Era in the seventies, has died at the age of 84.
He won 11 caps for Wales, captained his country, won a Grand Slam and Triple Crown in 1971 and toured with the 1971 British & Irish Lions in New Zealand He also helped Monmouthshire famously beat the Springboks in 1969.
A centre with silky smooth skills, he learned his rugby at Abertillery Technical School where he was taught by the former Ebbw Vale outside half and later international referee, Ernie Lewis. He played for Hafodyrynys and his hometown club Crumlin before switching to The Steelmen in the 1964-65 season.
An electrician by trade, his Wales debut came against France in the final game of the 1970 Five Nations championship. He was one of four changes to the side that flopped in Dublin in a 14-0 defeat in the previous round.
The ‘on trial’ back division saw Roy Mathias, Jim Shanklin and Lewis come in to win their first caps, while Stuart Gallacher was a fourth debutant in the pack. Lewis partnered John Dawes in the midfield, and the game was one 11-6 to deny the French the title outright and force a share of the title between the two teams.
Known as ‘Mr Dependable’, Lewis captured the attention of the ‘Big Five’ with his display for Monmouthshire against the Springboks in November 1969. Leading 9-8 against the tourists, the home side needed something to seal the deal.
A powerful surge from Lewis took his side up to the South African try line. Then, when the ball was recycled, he found Roger Beese unmarked on his right and delivered a superb overhead pass to put him clear for the try that completed the victory.
Two months later he was in the ‘Possibles’ side in the Final Trial, made his Wales B debut against France in March and then his senior debut for Wales against the French a month later.
Speaking bout Lewis in ‘The Dawes Decades’, the book co-written with David Parry-Jones, John Dawes had this to say about his international teammate:
“Arthur’s rugby profile wasn’t high – opponents and even some teammates didn’t know what he was capable of. He struck me as a versatile player who didn’t grumble if we used him for a crash ball move (which came to be called an ‘Arthur’). Equally he possessed hands that were quick, that is capable of a high-speed transfer of the ball to his wing, or to JPR coming into the line. Arthur was a good team player in the special sense that he would fit into a tactical pattern.”
He was paired with Dawes in the midfield for the ‘Probables’ in the Welsh trials in the 1970-71 season having earlier lined-up alongside him, and scored a try, in the Wales XV’s 26-11 win over the RFU President’s XV in a game to officially open the National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park.
He then went on to feature in three of the four games in the Grand Slam campaign. Injured forced him to miss the game against Scotland, but he was at the heart of the victories over England (22-6), Ireland (23-9) and France (9-5).
Ian Hall deputised for him in the win in Scotland as the only change to the side throughout the first Grand Slam season since 1952. It was also the first win in Paris by the Welsh team since 1957.
His form throughout the championship earned him a place among the 13 Welshmen selected to tour with the British & Irish Lions in Australia and New Zealand. He played in 10 games, including one at outside half, and was a replacement for the second Test.
He played throughout the 1972 championship and was also selected to play for the Combined England & Wales XV that fell 30-21 to Scotland & Ireland at Murrayfield in October 1972 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Rugby Union.
He was picked to captain Wales against New Zealand in December 1972 but was forced to pull out with an injury in the final training season. He went on to skipper Wales against England at the start of the 1973 Five Nations, scoring a try, and also led the side against Scotland and Ireland before surrendering the armband to Gareth Edwards in Paris for the final round.
He ended up with nine wins from his 11 internationals and was never on the losing side in his 10 games for the Lions.
He played five times for the Barbarians, joining the Easter Tours of south Wales in 1971 and 1972 as well as playing against Llanelli in 1972. In 1972, he also captained Monmouthshire to the Welsh Counties Cup title with victory over Glamorgan at Tredegar.
After hanging up his boots he turned to coaching with Ebbw Vale, Cross Keys and Crumlin.
Arthur John Llewellyn Lewis: 11 caps (Cap No – 759) / Lions No: 500; B: 26 September 1941 in Crumlin; D: 19 May 2026 (aged 84).
The funeral service will be held on Friday 19 June at St Paul’s church in Newbridge from 12.30pm then at Sirhowy Crematorium from 1.30pm before being concluded at Crumlin RFC.