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Clem
Clem Thomas met the world head-on and never gave an inch. Raised on a small farm in Brynamman, where all roads end and the Black Mountains begin, he was defined, yet never constrained, by his environment. Fiercely Welsh, he stepped out into the world with a rugged assurance and confidence that enabled him to live a rich and varied life.
His life-story reflects the triumph that outstanding sporting talent, true grit, fierce competitiveness and keen intellectual aspiration can bring.
He played 26 times for Wales, captained his country on 9 occasions, toured South Africa with the British Lions and became a rugby legend in the era of such greats as Cliff Morgan, Tony O’Reilly, Jeff Butterfield and Rhys Williams. He built a reputation for his unyielding physicality and tough tackling that stunned opponents and spectators alike.
He went to Cambridge, stood for Parliament, dined with Nelson Mandela, drove the Monte Carlo rally, won a downhill ski race in St Moritz and became Chief rugby correspondent for The Observer. He once attempted to swim across the Seine at 4am, owned race-horses and ran several businesses.
Clem beat the All Blacks in 1953, when he made the winning play with only 8 minutes to go, booting his eternally iconic cross-kick for Olympic sprinter Ken Jones to score the winning try. The last occasion Wales beat the All Blacks.
A cattle-dealer and butcher, he was one of the hardest and most erudite men to play for Wales. The great Ireland and Lions wing and business tycoon Tony O’Reilly summed up Clem in this “He was the only man I knew who took his profession onto the field of play. He was a butcher on and off the field.”
Clem was my Dad, my inspiration, my hero, and this is a taste of his life . . .
His life-story reflects the triumph that outstanding sporting talent, true grit, fierce competitiveness and keen intellectual aspiration can bring.
He played 26 times for Wales, captained his country on 9 occasions, toured South Africa with the British Lions and became a rugby legend in the era of such greats as Cliff Morgan, Tony O’Reilly, Jeff Butterfield and Rhys Williams. He built a reputation for his unyielding physicality and tough tackling that stunned opponents and spectators alike.
He went to Cambridge, stood for Parliament, dined with Nelson Mandela, drove the Monte Carlo rally, won a downhill ski race in St Moritz and became Chief rugby correspondent for The Observer. He once attempted to swim across the Seine at 4am, owned race-horses and ran several businesses.
Clem beat the All Blacks in 1953, when he made the winning play with only 8 minutes to go, booting his eternally iconic cross-kick for Olympic sprinter Ken Jones to score the winning try. The last occasion Wales beat the All Blacks.
A cattle-dealer and butcher, he was one of the hardest and most erudite men to play for Wales. The great Ireland and Lions wing and business tycoon Tony O’Reilly summed up Clem in this “He was the only man I knew who took his profession onto the field of play. He was a butcher on and off the field.”
Clem was my Dad, my inspiration, my hero, and this is a taste of his life . . .
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2017
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