Ray Gravell
Encyclopedia
Raymond William Robert "Ray" Gravell (12 September 1951 – 31 October 2007) was a Welsh
rugby union
centre who played club rugby for Llanelli RFC
. At international level Gravell earned 23 caps
for Wales
and was selected for the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa
.
In his later career he would become a respected broadcaster and occasional actor. Gravell was also a member of the Gorsedd
of Bards, an honour bestowed on him for his contribution to the Welsh language
. At the Eisteddfodau Gravell was known by his bardic name Ray o'r Mynydd and was given the ceremonial role of Grand Sword Bearer.
, the son of a collier, Gravell moved to Mynydd-y-Garreg
at a young age with his family. Gravell was educated at Burry Port
Secondary Modern School and Carmarthen Grammar School.
in 1970 and was a member of the team that beat a formidable touring All Blacks side in October 1972, eventually going on to captain the club for two seasons from 1980 to 1982. He made his first appearance for Wales against France in 1975 and played in two Grand Slam
winning sides, usually as a centre but sometimes as a winger. Gravell was selected to play for the British and Irish Lions
in their 1980 tour of South Africa
; he came on as a substitute in the first test and was in the starting line up for the next three tests. In the second test at Bloemfontein
, Gravell scored his second international try, though the tourists lost 26-19 to the South Africans.
Often epitomising the hard edge of rugby, Gravell was the classic crash ball
centre, thriving on the physical contact of the sport. He is often cited as the source for the much repeated rugby phrase, "get your first tackle in early, even if it's late."
He announced his retirement from international rugby in 1982, and played his last match for Llanelli in 1985 having played 485 times and scored 120 tries for the club. He was President of Llanelli RFC until his death.
taking the leading role in Bonner, a BBC Cymru film for the Welsh Language broadcaster S4C
. He appeared in the BBC TV movie Filipina Dreamgirls, and this led to a role in the 1992 Louis Malle
film Damage as the chauffeur of the character played by Jeremy Irons
. In the same year, 1992, Gravell appeared alongside Peter O'Toole
in Rebecca's Daughters
, a British comedy film
directed by Karl Francis
that was based on a story by Dylan Thomas
. The film also starred Joely Richardson
and Paul Rhys
. He also played a gypsy in the 1996 Welsh cult horror film Darklands
directed by Julian Richards
and starring Craig Fairbrass
and Jon Finch
.
He also presented regular chat and entertainment shows for both BBC Radio Wales
and BBC Radio Cymru
. Up until his death, he was a member of the BBC's Welsh language
rugby commentary team where he was an interviewer during Celtic League
, Powergen Cup and Heineken Cup
matches. He also hosted a breakfast radio show on Radio Cymru in West Wales
and co-hosted I'll Show You Mine with Frank Hennessy
on Radio Wales.
Ray Gravell was "rugby consultant" and appeared as "Referee No 1" in the film Up n Under.
. In the following months, Gravell continued public duties, including appearances on television and at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru
.
Just six months after the operation and 35 years to the day after Llanelli's famous win over the All Blacks, Gravell died of a heart attack, aged just 56. He was taken ill on 31 October 2007 while on a family holiday in Spain
, but did not recover and died late that night. After his death tributes were led by Welsh Rugby Union
chief executive, Roger Lewis, who said "We are all in total shock because Ray was so full of life even through the difficult health problems he suffered recently. We will miss him as a rugby legend but more importantly, we will miss Ray as a great friend and a fine, family man."
A public funeral was held at Stradey Park
on 15 November 2007, attended by up to ten thousand mourners from all over Wales. Gravell's flag-draped coffin was carried on to the field by six Llanelli players, from past and present, and placed on a red carpet as the ceremony was conducted. Tributes were given in both Welsh and English by First Minister for Wales
Rhodri Morgan
and by a number of friends and colleagues. During the ceremony, the scoreboard read "Llanelli 9 Seland Newydd 3", just as it did at the end of that famous match in 1972. After the ceremony, the coffin was given a guard of honour by both the current Llanelli Scarlets squad and the remaining members of the 1972 Llanelli RFC team that beat the All Blacks. Following the public service, Gravell's family and close friends conducted a private ceremony at Llanelli Crematorium.
At the time of his death, Gravell was mentor
ing ex-Welsh Guardsman and war hero Simon Weston
in the BBC Wales
'reality' TV show The Big Welsh Challenge, in which a team of five celebrities were tasked with mastering the Welsh language in just 12 months. Simon made the decision to pull out of the show as he felt unable to continue without his friend of 20 years.
in Cardiff
on 15 March 2008, Gravell's daughters, Gwenan and Manon, led the Wales team on to the pitch carrying the Triple Crown plate. In the same match, Neil Jenkins
, Wales' goal kicking coach and other members of the coaching staff wore number 13 shirts bearing Gravell's name.
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...
centre who played club rugby 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...
. At international level Gravell earned 23 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...
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...
and was selected for the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa
1980 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1980 the British Lions rugby union team toured South Africa . The tour was not a success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the first three tests before salvaging some pride with a win in the fourth...
.
In his later career he would become a respected broadcaster and occasional actor. Gravell was also a member of the Gorsedd
Gorsedd
A gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
of Bards, an honour bestowed on him for his contribution to the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. At the Eisteddfodau Gravell was known by his bardic name Ray o'r Mynydd and was given the ceremonial role of Grand Sword Bearer.
Early life and education
Born in Kidwelly, CarmarthenshireCarmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, the son of a collier, Gravell moved to Mynydd-y-Garreg
Mynydd-y-garreg
Mynydd-y-garreg or Mynyddygarreg is a village in the county of Carmarthenshire, West Wales, bordering the historical town of Kidwelly. Mynydd-y-garreg Tower is the name given to a Roman Pharos in the county of Flintshire, near Whitford....
at a young age with his family. Gravell was educated at Burry Port
Burry Port
Burry Port is a small town five miles outside the larger centre of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the Loughor estuary. The town's population is roughly 8,000 although in the 2001 census there were 4209 residents....
Secondary Modern School and Carmarthen Grammar School.
Rugby career
He first played for Llanelli RFCLlanelli 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...
in 1970 and was a member of the team that beat a formidable touring All Blacks side in October 1972, eventually going on to captain the club for two seasons from 1980 to 1982. He made his first appearance for Wales against France in 1975 and played in two Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
winning sides, usually as a centre but sometimes as a winger. Gravell was selected to play for the British and Irish 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...
in their 1980 tour of South Africa
1980 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1980 the British Lions rugby union team toured South Africa . The tour was not a success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the first three tests before salvaging some pride with a win in the fourth...
; he came on as a substitute in the first test and was in the starting line up for the next three tests. In the second test at Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
, Gravell scored his second international try, though the tourists lost 26-19 to the South Africans.
Often epitomising the hard edge of rugby, Gravell was the classic crash ball
Crash ball
The crash ball is an attacking tactic in rugby league and rugby union where a player receives a pass at pace and runs to the opposition's defensive line...
centre, thriving on the physical contact of the sport. He is often cited as the source for the much repeated rugby phrase, "get your first tackle in early, even if it's late."
He announced his retirement from international rugby in 1982, and played his last match for Llanelli in 1985 having played 485 times and scored 120 tries for the club. He was President of Llanelli RFC until his death.
Broadcasting and acting career
In 1985, he joined the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
taking the leading role in Bonner, a BBC Cymru film for the Welsh Language broadcaster S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
. He appeared in the BBC TV movie Filipina Dreamgirls, and this led to a role in the 1992 Louis Malle
Louis Malle
Louis Malle was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. He worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. His films include Ascenseur pour l'échafaud , Atlantic City , and Au revoir, les enfants .- Early years in France :Malle was born into a wealthy industrialist family in Thumeries,...
film Damage as the chauffeur of the character played by Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the...
. In the same year, 1992, Gravell appeared alongside Peter O'Toole
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
in Rebecca's Daughters
Rebecca's Daughters
Rebecca's Daughters is a 1992 British and German comedy film, directed by Karl Francis.It was based on a story by Dylan Thomas. The screenplay was originally written in 1948 by Thomas, but forty four years elapsed before it was finally made into a film, which is the longest period of this kind on...
, a British comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Karl Francis
Karl Francis
Karl Francis is a Welsh film and television director, producer and screenwriter, associated with left-wing political causes. His work is inspired by the likes of Chris Marker and Ken Loach and has included output in both the English and Welsh languages.-Biography:Francis was born in Bedwas in...
that was based on a story by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
. The film also starred Joely Richardson
Joely Richardson
Joely Kim Richardson is an English actress, most known recently for her role as Queen Catherine Parr in the Showtime television show The Tudors and Julia McNamara in the television drama Nip/Tuck...
and Paul Rhys
Paul Rhys
Paul Rhys is a British television, film and theatre actor.Rhys was born in Wales and studied at RADA, leaving with the Bancroft Gold Medal in 1987. While there, he obtained his first major screen role, in Absolute Beginners . Since then he has seldom been off the stage and screen...
. He also played a gypsy in the 1996 Welsh cult horror film Darklands
Darklands (film)
Darklands is a British horror film written and directed by Julian Richards, starring Craig Fairbrass, Jon Finch, Rowena King and released in 1997....
directed by Julian Richards
Julian Richards
Julian Richards FSA, MIFA is a British television and radio presenter, writer and archaeologist with over 30 years experience of fieldwork and publication.-Early career:...
and starring Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass
Craig Fairbrass is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive Cockney accent.-Life and career:Fairbrass was born in Stepney, London. He made his acting debut in an episode of the television series Shelley in 1980. This was followed by appearances in series such as Emmerdale, Three Up Two...
and Jon Finch
Jon Finch
Jon Finch is an English actor noted for many Shakespearean roles. Perhaps his most notable role was the title role in Roman Polanski's 1971 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. His other famous role was as a down-and-out ex-RAF pilot wrongly accused of murder in Alfred Hitchcock's...
.
He also presented regular chat and entertainment shows for both BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales is the BBC's national radio station broadcasting to Wales in the English language. Operated by BBC Wales, it began broadcasting on 12 November 1978 following the demise of the old "Radio 4 Wales" when BBC Radio 4 became a national network and moved from medium wave to long wave...
and BBC Radio Cymru
BBC Radio Cymru
BBC Radio Cymru is BBC Cymru's Welsh-language radio station, broadcasting throughout Wales from studios in Cardiff, Bangor, and Aberystwyth on FM since 1977. At the time of its launch it was one of the few FM-only radio services in the UK...
. Up until his death, he was a member of the BBC's Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
rugby commentary team where he was an interviewer during Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
, Powergen Cup and Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
matches. He also hosted a breakfast radio show on Radio Cymru in West Wales
West Wales
West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....
and co-hosted I'll Show You Mine with Frank Hennessy
Frank Hennessy
Frank Hennessy is a Welsh folk singer and radio presenter.Born into Cardiff's Irish community, Hennessy was used to performance in front of his family by the time his father gave him a guitar aged 13...
on Radio Wales.
Ray Gravell was "rugby consultant" and appeared as "Referee No 1" in the film Up n Under.
Later life, diabetes and death
In 2000 he was diagnosed with diabetes and ill-health plagued his later years. On 18 April 2007, it was announced that he had been readmitted to hospital following an operation to amputate two toes as a result of a diabetes-related infection, and his right leg was amputated below the knee. Because of the operation, Gravell was unable to continue his bardic duties as the Grand Sword Bearer. The ceremonial role was passed on to fellow international rugby union player Robin McBrydeRobin McBryde
Robin Currie McBryde , is a former rugby union player who gained 37 rugby union caps for Wales as a hooker between 1994 and 2005....
. In the following months, Gravell continued public duties, including appearances on television and at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru
Urdd Gobaith Cymru
dde|200px|thumb|The Urdd logoUrdd Gobaith Cymru, literally, the Welsh League of Hope, but normally translated as the Welsh League of Youth, or merely referred to as the Urdd, is a Welsh-medium youth movement with over 1,500 branches and over 50,000 members...
.
Just six months after the operation and 35 years to the day after Llanelli's famous win over the All Blacks, Gravell died of a heart attack, aged just 56. He was taken ill on 31 October 2007 while on a family holiday in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, but did not recover and died late that night. After his death tributes were led by Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
chief executive, Roger Lewis, who said "We are all in total shock because Ray was so full of life even through the difficult health problems he suffered recently. We will miss him as a rugby legend but more importantly, we will miss Ray as a great friend and a fine, family man."
A public funeral was held at Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
on 15 November 2007, attended by up to ten thousand mourners from all over Wales. Gravell's flag-draped coffin was carried on to the field by six Llanelli players, from past and present, and placed on a red carpet as the ceremony was conducted. Tributes were given in both Welsh and English by First Minister for Wales
First Minister for Wales
The First Minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government, Wales' devolved administration, which was established in 1999. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the...
Rhodri Morgan
Rhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
and by a number of friends and colleagues. During the ceremony, the scoreboard read "Llanelli 9 Seland Newydd 3", just as it did at the end of that famous match in 1972. After the ceremony, the coffin was given a guard of honour by both the current Llanelli Scarlets squad and the remaining members of the 1972 Llanelli RFC team that beat the All Blacks. Following the public service, Gravell's family and close friends conducted a private ceremony at Llanelli Crematorium.
At the time of his death, Gravell was mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
ing ex-Welsh Guardsman and war hero Simon Weston
Simon Weston
Simon Weston OBE is a former British Army soldier who became well known throughout the United Kingdom for his recovery and charity work after suffering severe burn injuries during the Falklands War.-Early life:...
in the BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
'reality' TV show The Big Welsh Challenge, in which a team of five celebrities were tasked with mastering the Welsh language in just 12 months. Simon made the decision to pull out of the show as he felt unable to continue without his friend of 20 years.
Personal life
Gravell and his wife Mari lived in Mynydd-y-garreg, Carmarthenshire, with their two daughters, Manon and Gwenan, on a street named after him, Heol Ray Gravell (Ray Gravell Road). His father had committed suicide when Gravell was a young man.Tribute
At the Wales v France match at the Millennium StadiumMillennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
on 15 March 2008, Gravell's daughters, Gwenan and Manon, led the Wales team on to the pitch carrying the Triple Crown plate. In the same match, Neil Jenkins
Neil Jenkins
Neil Jenkins MBE is a former rugby union football player and current coach. He played fly-half, centre, or full back for Pontypridd, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors, Wales and the British and Irish Lions. Jenkins is Wales' highest ever points-scorer and is the third highest on the List of leading Rugby...
, Wales' goal kicking coach and other members of the coaching staff wore number 13 shirts bearing Gravell's name.