There’s people so famous you’d only need say

Their initials to know them, such as "JFK"

All boomers will know "Hey! Hey! LBJ!"

As older folks will "FDR";

But passed now's another great star.

 

The role of the full back was always the same

To catch, kick for touch and restart the game

That was up until John Williams came

Though the world knew him better by far

As the legend that was JPR.

 

His sideburns his trademark and unruly locks,

Rolled down by his ankles on his boots were his socks

His appearance belied he’d not shirk hard knocks

As every bone-crunching jar

Emboldened the great JPR.

 

He transformed the game as a running full back

Adding himself in support of attack

But equally happy to confront a whole pack

Of All Blacks, revved like a car

Reputations fazed not JPR.

 

Raked over by boots at the foot of a ruck

His face torn and bloodied, where studs left their muck

But more confrontation he never would duck

If “99” signalled “To War!”

In waded Bridgend’s JPR.

 

Welshmen that taunted the English weren’t new

But Williams tormented New Zealanders too

And likewise the Springboks as his stature grew

Though brutish as these last two are

First in was young JPR.

 

But now he’ll be playing in Heaven’s Great Game

With Mervyn and Benny, JJ and coach James

Said God “You may wonder why so soon I came

To cruelly take you away,

But we’re playing the English today.”