Background
Williams was born in the small village of Cwmllynfell in 1930.
Williams was born in the small village of Cwmllynfell in 1930.
He was educated at Ystalyfera Grammar School and later matriculated to University College, Cardiff.
At club level he played primarily for Llanelli Reconstruction Finance Corporation, captaining them for a season. He also represented the Barbarians becoming the most capped Welsh representative of the club In his later life he became a sports administrator, including the role of vice-president of the Welsh Rugby Union.
After graduating he joined the Royal Air Force as an education officer
On leaving the forces he later becoming a research chemist for the Steel Company of Wales, and finished his professional career in educational administration as an Assistant Director of Education for Mid Glamorgan. He died in 1993 in Whitchurch, Cardiff.
While in the Royal Air Force, Willimas played in the Inter-Services tournament and for Combined Services. He made his debut in club rugby for Llanelli at the age of nineteen, going on to captain the club in the 1957-1958 season.
He made his debut for Wales in 1954 against Ireland and played at international level until 1960, captaining Wales against England in that year.
He played for the British and Irish Lions, going on the 1955 Lions tour to South Africa and the 1959 tour to Australia and New Zealand. On these tours he played in ten consecutive test matches. He also toured Canada and South Africa with the Barbarians.
He was the only forward to be named as "Player of the Year" in New Zealand during the 1959–1960 season.
Andrew Bennett in his book Welsh Rugby Heroes includes R.H. Williams at Number. 4 in his selection of the "all-time greatest" Welsh XV.