Clive Rees
Encyclopedia
Clive Frederick William Rees (born in Singapore on 6 October 1951) is a former Welsh
rugby union
player. He won thirteen caps
as left wing for Wales
between 1973 and 1983.
Clive Rees's rugby career started at Llanelli
Grammar School in the late 1960s where he instantly became known as 'Fred' and played on the wing at all levels. In the same Llanelli & District Schoolboys team were future internationals Gareth Jenkins
and Stephen Warlow, and Scarlets Bernard Thomas and David Mathias.
He displayed his natural speed by winning both the 100 and 200 meters at the Colwyn Bay
Secondary Schools Athletic Championship.
Rees went on to study at Loughborough College
, where he played in the rugby team for three seasons alongside future stars Fran Cotton
and Steve Smith
. During a freshers trial Rees came off the wing to score under the post which prompted coach Jim Greenwood to invite him to join the senior squad. Rees played opposite Lewis Dick (who went on to play for Scotland
). At only eighteen he found himself in the College Sevens team, beating Cardiff in the final of the Glengarth Sevens
. It was here that a boy said to Steve Smith that Clive Rees was running so fast his legs were a blur, just like Billy Whizz
from The Beano
- a nickname by which Rees is still fondly referred to.
During a vacation from Loughborough, Rees returned home to play for Llanelli RFC
. “He was selected for a ‘Welsh Trial’ in which he overtook J.J. Williams
to make a try saving tackle, which made the selectors sit up and take note”. He won his first cap for Wales in 1973, the year he started playing for London Welsh, and played in the Welsh side that beat Australia
in 1975.
He was reselected to the Welsh squad in 1980. “‘Billy Whizz’ was not only playing better than at any time in his career, but that his re-selection was long overdue. The London Welsh wing was never dropped again and although he never scored a try for Wales himself, his brilliant running and unselfish support ensured that many others profited handsomely. His legendary carving run down the left wing at Murrayfield
produced one of the great Welsh tries of the decade in 1983.”
In 1983 Rees scored his 100th try for London Welsh against London Scottish
, drawing a standing ovation. Rees was made captain of London Welsh for the club's 1984-85 centenary season. He was determined to make a break with the past, ignore nostalgic media comparisons to the great John Dawes
era, and shake the club into a determined drive for excellence. Under his enthusiastic captaincy the club was unbeaten at home for a record-breaking seven months, and for the first time in its history London Welsh reached the final of the John Player Cup. Rees himself is on record as having scored most tries in the Cup with eleven after J.P.R. Williams' six. To cap the centenary season London Welsh went on a world tour.
Together with the likes of Kevin Bowring
and Robert Ackerman
, Clive Rees was in the London Welsh team that won the Middlesex Sevens.
During his career Rees also played nine times for the Barbarians
and journalists voted him player of the tournament in the Hong Kong Sevens
. In 1974, he was selected as the youngest member of the British Lions
squad for the tour of South Africa. The Lions were unbeaten on that tour, with 21 wins and one draw. Rees had to stop playing after 7 games because he broke his hand.
In 1987 Rees travelled to Japan to train the Toshiba team.
All the while Clive Rees was a highly respected school teacher. After starting his teaching career at Highdown School
, he was head of rugby at Chiltern Edge School
, then went on to become head of PE at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
in London and later at Clifton College Prep School
in Bristol.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He won thirteen caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
as left wing for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
between 1973 and 1983.
Clive Rees's rugby career started at Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
Grammar School in the late 1960s where he instantly became known as 'Fred' and played on the wing at all levels. In the same Llanelli & District Schoolboys team were future internationals Gareth Jenkins
Gareth Jenkins
Gareth Jenkins is a former Welsh rugby union footballer, and former head coach of the Welsh national team. After a long and distinguished career at Llanelli RFC, Jenkins was appointed Wales coach in 2006, succeeding Mike Ruddock...
and Stephen Warlow, and Scarlets Bernard Thomas and David Mathias.
He displayed his natural speed by winning both the 100 and 200 meters at the Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
Secondary Schools Athletic Championship.
Rees went on to study at Loughborough College
Loughborough College
Loughborough College is a college of Further Education in Leicestershire, England established in 1909. It is located opposite Loughborough University on Epinal Way, and adjacent to the Loughborough University School of Art and Design, situated next to the main entrance of the college...
, where he played in the rugby team for three seasons alongside future stars Fran Cotton
Fran Cotton
Francis Edward Cotton is a former English rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a clothing company...
and Steve Smith
Steve Smith (English rugby player)
For other rugby players of the same name see Steve Smith and Steve Smith Stephen James Smith is a former international rugby union player...
. During a freshers trial Rees came off the wing to score under the post which prompted coach Jim Greenwood to invite him to join the senior squad. Rees played opposite Lewis Dick (who went on to play for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
). At only eighteen he found himself in the College Sevens team, beating Cardiff in the final of the Glengarth Sevens
Glengarth Sevens
The Glengarth Sevens was an annual 7 a-side rugby union tournament held at Davenport Rugby Club The first Glengarth Sevens was held in 1967 at Headlands Road, home of Davenport Rugby Club...
. It was here that a boy said to Steve Smith that Clive Rees was running so fast his legs were a blur, just like Billy Whizz
Billy Whizz
Billy Whizz is a fictional character featured in the British comic The Beano, first appearing in issue 1139, dated 16 May 1964, when it replaced The Country Cuzzins. Billy, the title character, is a boy who can run extraordinarily fast. His speed often causes chaos yet at the same time his ability...
from The Beano
The Beano
The Beano is a British children's comic, published by D.C. Thomson & Co and is arguably their most successful.The comic first appeared on 30 July 1938, and was published weekly. During the Second World War,The Beano and The Dandy were published on alternating weeks because of paper and ink...
- a nickname by which Rees is still fondly referred to.
During a vacation from Loughborough, Rees returned home to play for Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
. “He was selected for a ‘Welsh Trial’ in which he overtook J.J. Williams
J.J. Williams
John James Williams , known universally as J.J. Williams, is a former Welsh rugby union player who gained thirty caps for Wales as a winger....
to make a try saving tackle, which made the selectors sit up and take note”. He won his first cap for Wales in 1973, the year he started playing for London Welsh, and played in the Welsh side that beat Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in 1975.
He was reselected to the Welsh squad in 1980. “‘Billy Whizz’ was not only playing better than at any time in his career, but that his re-selection was long overdue. The London Welsh wing was never dropped again and although he never scored a try for Wales himself, his brilliant running and unselfish support ensured that many others profited handsomely. His legendary carving run down the left wing at Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
produced one of the great Welsh tries of the decade in 1983.”
In 1983 Rees scored his 100th try for London Welsh against London Scottish
London Scottish F.C.
London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
, drawing a standing ovation. Rees was made captain of London Welsh for the club's 1984-85 centenary season. He was determined to make a break with the past, ignore nostalgic media comparisons to the great John Dawes
John Dawes
Sydney John Dawes OBE is a former Welsh rugby union player, playing at centre, and later coach. He captained London Welsh, Wales, the Barbarians and the British Lions...
era, and shake the club into a determined drive for excellence. Under his enthusiastic captaincy the club was unbeaten at home for a record-breaking seven months, and for the first time in its history London Welsh reached the final of the John Player Cup. Rees himself is on record as having scored most tries in the Cup with eleven after J.P.R. Williams' six. To cap the centenary season London Welsh went on a world tour.
Together with the likes of Kevin Bowring
Kevin Bowring
Kevin Bowring is a Welsh former rugby union player and coach. Bowring attended Neath Grammar School for Boys. A flanker, he played for London Welsh and captained the team. He also represented the Barbarians and Middlesex County ....
and Robert Ackerman
Robert Ackerman
Robert Angus Ackerman is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby union and rugby league footballer. In 1983 he toured New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions whilst playing for London Welsh RFC. A centre, he also played club rugby for Newport RFC...
, Clive Rees was in the London Welsh team that won the Middlesex Sevens.
During his career Rees also played nine times for the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
and journalists voted him player of the tournament in the Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
. In 1974, he was selected as the youngest member of the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
squad for the tour of South Africa. The Lions were unbeaten on that tour, with 21 wins and one draw. Rees had to stop playing after 7 games because he broke his hand.
In 1987 Rees travelled to Japan to train the Toshiba team.
All the while Clive Rees was a highly respected school teacher. After starting his teaching career at Highdown School
Highdown School
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre is an academy in Emmer Green on the outskirts of Reading, Berkshire, England. It has a capacity for approximately 1450 students aged 11–18.Highdown School has three Grade II listed buildings within its grounds...
, he was head of rugby at Chiltern Edge School
Chiltern Edge School
Chiltern Edge School, also known as Chiltern Edge Secondary School is a mixed, comprehensive 11-16 school in Sonning Common, Reading, Berkshire...
, then went on to become head of PE at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group....
in London and later at Clifton College Prep School
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
in Bristol.