David Maldwyn James (28 June 1913 – 19 July 2003) was a Welsh international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player. Born in

Cilfynydd Cilfynydd is a village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, a mile from the South Wales Valleys town of Pontypridd, and 13 miles north of the capital city, Cardiff. Cilfynydd is also an electoral ward for the county council and Po ...

, Glamorgan, he attended Pontypridd Boys Grammar School before working underground as a collier for the Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd. During the early 1930s he played rugby for

Cilfynydd RFC Cilfynydd Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Cilfynydd near Pontypridd, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union. Club badge The Cilfynydd RFC badge consists of a yellow and black shield split into quarters. Th ...

and

Pontypridd RFC Pontypridd Rugby Football Club () is a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It competes in the Admiral Premiership and the WRU Premiership Cup, a trophy which they won for the 7th time in 2025. Their last league title ...

in the position of hooker, although he was also a skilled goal-kicker and all-rounder. In 1937 and 1938 he was selected for the Wales international trials but a severe injury to his right foot kept him away from the game until 1941. In 1945 he joined

Cardiff RFC Cardiff Rugby Football Club () is a rugby union club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876Parry-Jones (1989), pg 59 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, shortly after which relocating to Ca ...

, contributing 145 points to the season, and eventually making 85 appearances for the club. During his time at Cardiff he played in four 'Victory' internationals for Wales at the end of the Second World War. Caps were not awarded for these matches. In the Wales v Australia match of 20 December 1947 at the

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park (), also known as The Arms Park, is primarily a rugby union stadium, and also has a bowling green. It is situated in Cardiff, Wales, next to the Millennium Stadium. The Arms Park was host to the 1958 British Empire and Common ...

, James became the oldest player to make a debut for Wales, aged 34 and five months. He played throughout the 1948 season, against England, Scotland, France and finally Ireland, winning five Welsh caps. Thereafter he retired from rugby but continued to be involved with Cardiff RFC serving on the Committee in season 1949–50 and thereafter in many capacities until he retired in 1959–60. He was appointed again to the Committee in 1972–73 and was chairman in season 1975–76 before finally retiring in 1984. . James had qualified as a mining engineer in 1941 and rose to become the manager of several South Wales collieries, including the Albion Colliery. At the time of his retirement in 1973 he was NCB South Wales East Area Group Manager.Cardiff RFC programme 7 December 1985

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Maldwyn 1913 births 2003 deaths Cardiff RFC players Cilfynydd RFC players People educated at Pontypridd High School Rugby union players from Pontypridd Pontypridd RFC players Rugby union hookers Wales international rugby union players Welsh miners Welsh rugby union players Rugby union players from Cilfynydd