Barry John - Rugby Career - 1968 British Lions, The 1969 Triple Crown and Wales Tour

1968 British Lions, The 1969 Triple Crown and Wales Tour

John was selected for the British Lions in their tour of South Africa in 1968, but played in just four games before an injury forced him to return home. He played in three matches against district teams, Western Province, South West Districts and Natals, all wins for the tourists. He was then selected for the First Test, played at Johannesburg, against the South Africa national team. John's first Test for the British Lions lasted for only fifteen minutes, when after running for the line he was tackled by Jan Ellis, and John broke his collarbone on landing on the hard ground.

John played infrequently for Cardiff during the 1968/69 season, making just 14 appearances. Despite this he was available for all matches in the 1969 Five Nations Championship, again playing in each match paired with Edwards. The Welsh selectors had dropped five players from the previous Championship, and notable debutants in the team to face Scotland at Murrayfield on 1 February 1969 were J.P.R. Williams and Mervyn Davies. John scored his first international try in the encounter after charging down a kick and dummying his way over. Scotland, who were under enormous pressure from the kick-off, lost 17–3. When Ireland came to the Cardiff Arms Park in March the team was on a seven match unbeaten run, and were looking at taking the Grand Slam after defeating England, France and Scotland. It therefore came as a surprise at the ease with which the Welsh pack dominated. Wales won 24–11, with Dai Morris the stand-out Welsh player, though John also had one of his best matches, keeping pressure on the Irish with long touch kicks and scoring with a dropped goal. Despite out-scoring France in tries scored, the match at Stade Colombes ended in an 8–8 draw, preventing a Welsh Grand Slam, though a win in the final match to England would give Wales the Championship. The England decider is best remembered for Maurice Richards' four tries, but John too was on the scoresheet with a dropped goal and a try of his own. The game finished 30–9 to Wales, giving John his first Championship title and made him a Triple Crown winning player, as Wales had beaten all three other Home Nation teams.

Before the end of the season, John took part in his one and only seven-a-side tournament for Cardiff when he participated in the 1969 Snelling Sevens tournament. Cardiff progressed to the final, where they succeeded in beating John's former club Llanelli. As well as the title, John won the "Bill Everson – Player of the Tournament" award.

With the end of the 1968/69 season, the Welsh Rugby Union sent a team to tour New Zealand and Australia. At half-back, Wales sent John, Edwards, Phil Bennett and Ray "Chico" Hopkins, but in all three Tests, two against the New Zealand "All Blacks" and one against Australia, Welsh coach Clive Rowlands kept faith with John and Edwards. The Welsh team were completely overwhelmed by the All Blacks, losing both Tests, 0–19 and 12–33. A change of tactics by Rowlands, by switching Gerald Davies to the right wing, gave Wales a victory over Australia, and a six try victory over Fiji (in which John was replaced by Bennett) on their return to Britain, helped the team gain a warm reception on their return.