Ken Jones (rugby Player Born 1921) - British Lions

British Lions

Throughout his career, Jones suffered a lack of scoring opportunities, at club and international level. Even when alongside the likes of Welsh midfield star players such as Bleddyn Williams and Cliff Morgan, Jones scored very few tries for a wing of his class. This would change when Jones was selected to play in the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand. Selected for 17 of the games, including three of the four tests against New Zealand, Jones scored 17 tries and was and was chosen as one of the five Players of the Year for the tour.

Jones's greatest moment in the tour came in the Fourth Test against New Zealand. In this match Jones found himself playing against an equally fast track sprinter in the All Black's Peter Henderson. During the test, Jones found himself outside fellow Welsh international Lewis Jones, following a break from the Lions' 25 yard line. Henderson was running between the two Joneses, but with Bob Scott closing in on Lewis Jones, he threw a pass over Henderson's head which Ken Jones collected the ball skillfully at shoulder level. With 50 yards to the try line, and with four All Blacks giving chase, Jones showed his Olympic sprinting finesse to just keep ahead of his opponents to score a magnificent try. Unfortunately for Jones, although he scored one of the tries of his career, he found himself on the losing side. A fact made worse when in the last minute, with the Lions 8-11 down, Jones chased a kick head and looked to score a certain winning try when the ball turned away from him on the bounce, and the chance was lost.