Ray Gravell

Infobox Rugby biography
name = Ray Gravell


caption =
birthname = Raymond William Robert Gravell
nickname = Grav
birthyear = 1951
birthmonth = 09
birthday = 12
placeofbirth = Mynydd-y-garreg, Wales
deathyear = 2007
deathmonth = 10
deathday = 31
placeofdeath = Málaga, Spain
height =
weight =
ru_position = Centre
ru_amateuryears = 1970-1985
ru_amateurclubs = Llanelli RFC
ru_amclubcaps =
ru_amclubpoints =
ru_amupdate =
ru_nationalteam = Wales
British & Irish Lions
ru_nationalyears = 1975-1982
1980
ru_nationalcaps = 23
4
ru_nationalpoints = (4)
(?)
ru_ntupdate =
ru_coachclubs =
ru_coachyears =
ru_coachupdate =
other = yes
occupation =
spouse = Mari Gravell
children = Manon & Gwennan Gravell
relatives =
school = Burry Port Secondary Modern School
Carmarthen Grammar School
university =
url =

Raymond William Robert "Ray" Gravell (12 September 1951 – 31 October 2007) was a Welsh rugby union player who earned 23 caps ["The Rugby Clubs of Wales" pp81, David Parry-Jones (1989) ISBN 0091738504] for Wales as a rugbycentre|short=centre. In his later career he would become a respected broadcaster and occasional actor.

Gravell was also a member of the Gorsedd of Bards, an honour bestowed on him for his contribution to the Welsh language. At the Eisteddfodau Gravell was known by his bardic name "Ray o'r Mynydd" and was given the ceremonial role of Grand Sword Bearer. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20071102/ai_n21091842 Ray Gravell] The Independent 2 Nov 2007, Meic Stephens]

Biography

Early life and education

Born in Kidwelly Carmarthenshire, Gravell moved to Mynyddygarreg at a young age with his family. Gravell was educated at Burry Port Secondary Modern School and Carmarthen Grammar School.

Rugby career

He first played for Llanelli RFC in 1970 and was a member of the team that beat a formidable touring All Blacks side in October 1972, eventually going on to captain the club for two seasons from 1980 to 1982. He made his first appearance for Wales against France in 1975 ["Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981" pp442, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980)] and played in two Grand Slam winning sides, usually as a centre but sometimes as a winger, and also played in all four tests on the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 1980.

Often epitomising the hard edge of rugby, Gravell was the classic crash ball centre, thriving on the physical contact of the sport. He is often cited as the source for the much repeated rugby phrase, "get your first tackle in early, even if it's late."

He announced his retirement from international rugby in 1982, and played his last match for Llanelli in 1985. He was President of Llanelli RFC until his death.

Broadcasting and acting career

In 1985, he joined the BBC taking the leading role in Bonner, a BBC Cymru film for the Welsh Language broadcaster S4C. He appeared in the BBC TV movie "Filipina Dreamgirls", and this led to a role in the 1992 Louis Malle film "Damage" as the chauffeur of the character played by Jeremy Irons.

Since then, he presented regular chat and entertainment shows for both BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru. Up until his death, he was a member of the BBC's Welsh language rugby commentary team where he was an interviewer during Celtic League, Powergen Cup and Heineken Cup matches. He also hosted a breakfast radio show on Radio Cymru in West Wales and co-hosted "I'll Show You Mine" with Frank Hennessy on Radio Wales.

Ray Gravell was "rugby consultant" and appeared as "Referee No 1" in the film Up n Under.

Later life, diabetes and death

In 2000 he was diagnosed with diabetes and ill-health plagued his later years. On 18 April 2007, it was announced that he had been readmitted to hospital following an operation to amputate two toes as a result of a diabetes-related infection, [cite news |title=Rugby legend readmitted after op |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6567009.stm |date=2007-04-18 |accessdate=2007-04-18 |publisher=BBC News - South West Wales ] and his right leg was amputated below the knee. [cite news |title=Rugby hero's right leg amputated |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6569449.stm |date=2007-04-19 |accessdate=2007-04-18 |publisher=BBC News - South West Wales ] Due to the operation, Gravell was unable to continue his bardic duties as the Grand Sword Bearer. The ceremonial role was passed onto fellow international rugby union player Robin McBryde. In the following months, Gravell continued public duties, including appearances on television and at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

Just six months after the operation and 35 years to the day after Llanelli's famous win over the All Blacks, Gravell died of a heart attack, aged just 56. He was taken ill on 31 October 2007 while on a family holiday in Spain, but did not recover and died late that night. After his death tributes were led by Welsh Rugby Union chief executive, Roger Lewis, who said "We are all in total shock because Ray was so full of life even through the difficult health problems he suffered recently. We will miss him as a rugby legend but more importantly, we will miss Ray as a great friend and a fine, family man." [cite news |title=Wales rugby legend Gravell dies |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/7072320.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2007-11-01 |accessdate=2007-11-01 ]

A public funeral was held at Stradey Park on 15 November 2007, and was attended by thousands of mourners from all over Wales. Gravell's flag-draped coffin was carried onto the field by six Llanelli players, from past and present, and placed on a red carpet as the ceremony was conducted. After the ceremony, the coffin was given a guard of honour by both the current Llanelli Scarlets squad and the remaining members of the 1972 Llanelli RFC team that beat the All Blacks. Following the public service, Gravell's family and close friends conducted a private ceremony at Llanelli Crematorium. [cite news |title=Thousands bid farewell to 'Grav' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7094983.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-11-15 |accessdate=2007-11-16 ]

At the time of his death, Ray was mentoring ex-Welsh Guardsman and war hero Simon Weston in the BBC Wales 'reality' TV show The Big Welsh Challenge, in which a team of five celebrities were tasked with mastering the Welsh language in just 12 months. Simon made the decision to pull out of the show as he felt unable to continue without his friend of 20 years. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/bigwelshchallenge/news/simon_goes.shtml]

Personal life

Gravell and his wife Mari lived in Mynydd-y-garreg near Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, with their two young daughters, Gwenan and Manon, on a street named after him, Heol Ray Gravell "(Ray Gravell Road)". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6569449.stm BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Rugby hero's right leg amputated ] ]

Tribute

At the Wales v France match at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 15 March 2008, Gravell's daughters, Gwenan and Manon, led the Wales team onto the pitch carrying the Triple Crown plate. In the same match, Neil Jenkins, Wales' goal kicking coach and other members of the coaching staff wore number 13 shirts bearing Gravell's name.

References

External links

* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2787736.ece Obituary in "The Times", 2 November 2007]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/radiowales/presenters/raygravell.shtml Biography at BBC Radio Wales]
* [http://statistics.scrum.com/rugby_stats_05.asp?ID=WGR2 Stats at scrum.com]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=773 Photo at sporting-heroes]
*imdb name|id=0336204
* [http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/famousperson/gravell/2665101 Ray Gravell - Obituary]
* [http://www.walesvideogallery.org/archive.php?category=4&video=53 Ray Gravell interview at the Wales Video Gallery]