Gareth Jones
Your Memories
17.06.2008 : Kevin May wrote
Snid was always smiling and always happy. No matter how you felt he was always able to lift your spirits. A sad loss to his family, friends, the club and all in the sport who knew him and admired him. RIP Snid
19.06.2008 : julie andrews wrote
To jan and family we are sending our sympathy for your very sad loss to gareth jones may he rest in peace good night god bless from julie bobby and family xxxx
22.06.2008 : j anon wrote
Heres to all the good times we had at craig yr hesg school, helping our self to the tuck shop in school and having a feast on way home , we done them proper, we will never forget you from your true long time friends respect sneppy (u know wot we mean snid) rest in peace friend and our heart goes out to jan, dai, nicola and amy. we wont forget u SNEPPY from ur true friends
22.06.2008 : sharon evans wrote
To jan and dai and all your family so sorry for your loss .
22.06.2008 : lucy childs wrote
Jus want to say we are all thinking about the family with the loss.
Lots of luv lucy, linda, david, james, katie, geraint and froggyxxx
Scrum-half with Welsh rugby champions who died from neck injury
Gareth Jones was a scrum-half with Welsh rugby union club Neath. He died in hospital on 16 June, 2008, two months after sustaining a serious neck injury during a game against rivals Cardiff.
Mr Jones, who was 28, had also had spells with Glyncoch, Beddau and Pontypridd before turning professional with Neath in 2006. During his two years with the club, the Welsh All Blacks dominated the Welsh Premier Division, winning the title twice.
He described “winning the league with Neath and Konica Minolta Cup with Pontypridd” as his most memorable moments in rugby.
He was born in Pontypridd on 4 December, 1979. Before going pro he worked as a painter and decorator. He was married and had two children. When not playing rugby, he enjoyed running and surfing and was also a keen cook.
After the accident during a ruck in the game at Arms Park on 20 April he received treatment on the pitch for 10 minutes before being taken to hospital. He spent two months in intensive care after scans revealed the seriousness of the injury and underwent several operations.
Neath released a statement on 16 June saying: "It is with deep regret that Neath Rugby announce that scrum-half Gareth Jones passed away peacefully this afternoon, in the Heath Hospital, Cardiff."
His former Pontypridd colleague Guto Davies was among the first to pay tribute to him: "He was full of energy and that was the way he played his rugby. He was a real character who stood out among the squad and that's what made him so popular with the supporters."
Neath backs coach Gruff Rees also paid tribute to Mr Jones, describing him as a positive free spirit who was the heartbeat and energy of the side.
Mr Rees said: "Gareth was a wonderfully loyal and honest person. He was a real character, and the heartbeat and energy of any side he played for.
"He was a positive free spirit, who had so many close friends in the club and elsewhere. The number of phone calls we've had has been incredible. There has been a real outpouring of grief."
