Wanderers “Squeeze the arms” as they lose of one of their finest
It is with great sadness the Wanderers announce the death of one of its finest servants.
Billy James has finally lost his two-year fight with illness and he passed away peacefully at home with his family this weekend.
A larger than life character he was, as a player, a strong and combative scrum half Captaining both The Wanderers and Cross Keys during his playing career and he had the honour of turning out for Monmouthshire against the 1972 Touring All Blacks and Japanese sides.
A real “Man of Gwent” once his playing days were over (cut short by a nasty knee injury) he was a massive influence at the Wanderers. Off the field he was instrumental in guiding the club back from a low point in the mid-90s to the heights of the WRU Premiership. A man who “loved a tour” he was never far from a tour committee organising our first Boston tour in 1978 and he along with his son Johnny James organised the American/ Canadian tour and Malaysian Wanderers tours of 1998 and 2000.
He had a real mischievous streak, part of him never seemed to grow old and would think nothing of ringing Rosemary for a lift home at some unearthly hour of a Sunday morning as we stumbled out of Kiwis or the Taurus steak bar, saving numerous squad members on taxi fare as we apologetically accepted her lift to parts of Cardiff and beyond.
Away from the rugby field Billy taught Design and technology at Rumney High School and filled his time with being an active member of the Scouting movement in Cardiff as well as Church Warden at St Mellons church. At home he took great pride in his gardening skills a scene of many a pre-season Barbecue and hog roast for Wanderers squads’ friends and family.
He leaves his wife Rosemary, sons Jeremy and Jonathan, their wives Sally and Amanda and grandchildren Zoe, Darcey and Gwilym but he also leaves a huge hole in the massive rugby family that is Welsh Rugby and especially all those of us at the Wanderers and Cross Keys.
If there truly is a Heaven Welsh XV you can guarantee Billy will be organising their next tour!
“Squeeze the arms” Billy