Ray Prosser facts for kids

Thomas Raymond Prosser (born March 2, 1927 – died November 22, 2020) was a famous Welsh rugby union player. He played as a prop, a position in the front row of the scrum. Ray Prosser played for his local club, Pontypool, and was chosen to play for the Welsh national team 22 times.

He also played for the British Lions during their tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1959. After his playing career, Prosser became a very successful coach for Pontypool. He led the team to many victories in the 1970s and 1980s. Ray Prosser passed away in 2020 at the age of 93.

Ray Prosser's Rugby Playing Career

Ray Prosser spent most of his club rugby career playing for Pontypool. He joined the team in the late 1950s. At first, he played in the second row of the scrum. Later, when he played for Wales, he moved to the front row as a prop.

Prosser was very dedicated to rugby. He believed in playing and training regularly. He was known for his strong and energetic playing style. He worked tirelessly in the scrum and during mauls. Sometimes, his play was seen as very tough, especially in line-outs.

Playing for Wales

Ray Prosser was first chosen to play for Wales in the 1956 Five Nations Championship. He played against Scotland, and Wales won the game. Even though Wales won, he lost his spot for the next game. However, he was back in the team for the last game against France. Wales won that match, which meant they won the Championship trophy! This made Ray Prosser a Five Nations champion in his first year.

In the 1957 Five Nations Championship, Prosser became a regular player for Wales. He played in every game for the next three years. During the 1957 competition, he scored his only international points. He scored a try in a game against France, which Wales won. Besides playing in six Five Nations Championships, Prosser also played against two strong teams from the Southern Hemisphere: Australia in 1958 and South Africa in 1960.

Playing for the British Lions

In 1959, Ray Prosser was one of nine Welsh players picked for the British Lions team. They went on a long tour to Australia and New Zealand. The tour lasted five months. Ray found the tour challenging because he didn't like flying and missed home. He also got injured early on. But after he recovered, he played very well. He impressed everyone in a game against North Auckland. Because of his good play, Prosser was chosen to play in the final test match against New Zealand. The Lions won that important game.

International Matches Played by Ray Prosser

Here are the countries Ray Prosser played against for Wales and the British Lions: Wales

• Australia (1958)
• England (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
• France (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961)
• Ireland (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961)
• Scotland (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
• South Africa (1960)

British Lions

• New Zealand (1959)

Ray Prosser's Coaching Career

After he stopped playing rugby, Ray Prosser became a key member of the committee at Pontypool Rugby Club. In 1969, he was given the job of coaching the first team. Prosser brought the same dedication to coaching that he had for his own fitness. His coaching ideas were new and exciting. He helped create one of the strongest Pontypool teams ever.

During his time as coach, Prosser worked with the famous 'Pontypool Front Row'. This group of players included Graham Price, Bobby Windsor, and Charlie Faulkner. These three players played for Wales 19 times together. They all said that Prosser's focus on fitness was a big reason for their success. Ray Prosser coached the Pontypool first team for 18 years, until 1987. During this time, Pontypool won the unofficial Welsh club championship five times. This included winning three years in a row from 1983 to 1986.