In Memoriam: Cennydd Williams

Welsh centre Cennydd Owen Williams, played 115 matches for St.Helens R.F.C. from 1963-69, scoring 34 tries, and sadly passed away on Saturday, 22^nd March.

He was the sixth of eight brothers who all played for Cardiff RFC. Cen was the last survivor of this incredible sporting brotherhood spanning five decades, which included two Welsh captains, Bleddyn [the ‘Prince of Centres’] and Lloyd, and four who played for the Barbarians, including Cen himself. All the brothers were born in the same house in Taff’s Well, a small mining village to the north of Cardiff. Their father, Arthur, was a dock worker and the family also included four sisters.

Cen signed for the Saints from Cardiff RFC and made a good impression in his first match against Bramley at Knowsley Road on 23^rd March 1963, in a 38-0 success.

“Most reassuring was the display of ex-Cardiff centre Ken Williams in his senior debut,” wrote the Liverpool Daily Post correspondent. “He got two tries with acceleration which enabled him to pull away from the opposition.” It was also the first home fixture since Saints had played Hull on 22^nd December, courtesy of the infamous ‘Big Freeze.’

Cen was one of several signings from rugby union circles in the early 1960s, such as Ray French, Cliff Watson, Keith Northey, Len Killeen, and Peter Harvey, who first played against him in the 15 a side code.

“I was a member of a select XV playing up at Hartlepool against the RAF. Cen was fly-half that day and absolutely destroyed us,” he recalls.

“He was a ‘surprising player’ fleet footed, who could step either way with good movement. A class act. When we became team-mates at Saints I found him a quiet, unassuming guy and when he retired, you would often see him watching from the terraces at Knowsley Road.”

Another team-mate during his National Service in the RAF XV was Alex Murphy, who recommended that the Saints’ Board take a look at him. They were suitably impressed, and Cen took the professional ticket for a £6,000 fee, after 115 matches for Cardiff RFC, a year after he had married his wife Jean, a teacher, in Taff’s Well.

Cen’s first full season was his most successful, with 35 appearances and 8 tries with the team picking up the Western Division Championship after beating Swinton 10-7 at Central Park, Wigan at the end of the campaign. Cen was centre to Tom van Vollenhoven in a backline that all came from rugby union. He played against the Australian tourists in 1963 and the Other Nationalities when the floodlights were opened at Knowsley Road. He scored a try when Saints beat the New Zealand tourists 28-7 on 15^th September 1965 but competition in the centres was intense during the ‘four cups’ season of 1965-66 with Alex Murphy being switched from the halves.

Cen was Tom van Vollenhoven’s centre during the Flying Springbok’s last appearance at Knowsley Road on 24^th April 1968 when Warrington were beaten 20-0 on an emotion-charged evening and in total partnered him on 47 occasions [3^rd on the list behind Duggie Greenall and Ken Large]. He played some sparkling rugby in what was to be his final season, 1968-69, which included a 30-2 Lancashire Cup final victory against Oldham at Central Park. Cen played on the left wing and scored a try that evening, with the great Frank Myler as his centre. A knee injury eventually forced his retirement and his final appearance in the red vee was against Doncaster on 19^th April 1969 at Knowsley Road. Once again, he was on the wing as Saints won 57-5, with John Walsh booting over 12 goals. It seemed quite fitting that there were five of his fellow countrymen in the Saints’ team that day: John Mantle, Frank Wilson, Bobby Wanbon, Graham Rees and John Warlow.

Cen worked at Carborundum in Rainford for many years and was a member of Ashton Golf Club, as well as watching the Saints when he could at Knowsley Road.

Everyone at St Helens R.F.C. send their condolences to the Williams family at this sad time, including Cen’s wife, Jean, son Kevin, grandchildren Nia, Kira and Daniel, and great granddaughter Phoebe.