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Player twice banned for life made MBE after turning his life around
Western Mail
|December 30, 2025
FORMER
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Welsh rugby hardman Chris Jones has been made an MBE in the New Year Honours list, after finding God saw him turn his life around and dedicate himself to transforming the lives of young people.By his own admission, the 67-yearold former Treorchy front rower had a "terrible" reputation during his playing career, receiving not one but two lifetime bans from the sport and going down in history as one of the most infamous Welsh rugby players of all time.
But everything changed when he became a born-again Christian in 1990, which proved to be a turning point in his life.
He has since dedicated over 30 years to Rhondda Schools Rugby, helping to transform the lives of hundreds of young people in the area through rugby and mentorship.
This story is from the December 30, 2025 edition of Western Mail.
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