Haydn Tanner

Tanner died in his sleep on the 5 June 2009, aged 92.

After retiring from rugby, he became an industrial chemist working in the wood pulp trade for Thompson and Norris. He later became a buyer for Reed International and travelled extensively. He attended the Harvard Business School and became purchasing director for Reed Paper and Board UK. He retired in November, 1980. Having moved to Surrey, he became coach of Esher and became a member of London Welsh.

He was undoubtedly one of the greatest scrum-halves to ever play the game and, according to the 1950 Lion, Bleddyn Williams, he was ‘the greatest’: "Among all the scrum-halves I’ve seen and played with, he would reign supreme," said Williams. "He had a superb pass – the best I ever played with. His service was even better than Gareth Edwards."

Tanner toured South Africa with the British and Irish Lions in 1938 and played in only one test owing to injury. In 1948 he was captain of the Barbarians against Australia. His last international match was against France in 1949.

Tanner was educated at Gowerton Grammar School and was still a schoolboy when he played at scrum-half for Swansea against the All Blacks at St. Helens in 1935. Swansea won the game by 11 points to 3, with Tanner and his cousin Willie Davies outstanding. The New Zealand captain, Jack Manchester, is said to have passed back the message to New Zealand: "Tell them we have been beaten, but don't tell them it was by a pair of schoolboys".

Haydn Tanner (9 January 1917 – 5 June 2009) was a Welsh international rugby union player who represented both Wales and the British and Irish Lions. At club level he played for several top-flight teams, including Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, London Welsh and the Barbarians.