Beneath a scorching sun at Windsor Castle on the last Wednesday in June, The King honoured the only player known to have been banned for life not once but twice.

In the course of Chris Jones’ investiture as a Member of the British Empire, His Majesty congratulated rugby’s God-fearing Renaissance Man on introducing the game to generations at schools all over the Rhondda Valley and putting almost a complete XV on the road to Test stardom, from Matthew Rees to Tomos Williams.
“The King was absolutely brilliant,’’ Jones said.
“He said: ‘I’ve heard about the work you have done in the Rhondda and...