John Dawes, a man who will always be remembered in New Zealand as the captain of the successful 1971 British & Irish Lions, who remain the only Lions side to win a series over the All Blacks, has celebrated his 80th birthday.
But to Welsh rugby fans his list of credits runs much deeper and he remains one of their finest leaders.
Now retired in Cardiff, Dawes was an icon of the amateur era, having a separate career in education after gaining a Bachelor's degree in science and becoming a science teacher.
Dawes made his Wales debut, against Ireland, in March 1964, scoring a try in the process. Aged 23, he played out of the London Welsh club and, later in 1964, he took on the player-coach role with the club while also serving as captain.
It was a crucial step, not only in his game but also in Welsh rugby.
London Welsh became one of the outstanding clubs in England and under Dawes, it developed a style that became known as 'the Welsh way'.
Dawes believed in playing by doing the basics well, using the ball by moving it at speed, a style requiring a high level of fitness. Out of the club players like fullback J.P.R. Williams, flanker John Taylor and No.8 Mervyn Davies emerged.
The club were English champions in the seasons of 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1977-78, 1978-79 and three times runners-up within that period. They were English-Welsh champions in 1967-68 and 1970-71 and Welsh champions in 1970-71 and 1971-72.
As the club's stature grew, Dawes, Williams, Taylor and Davies were all selected for Wales with Dawes winning the captaincy in 1968, a role he played for six seasons and capped with a Grand Slam in 1971.
It was only natural after that sort of success that James should choose him to captain his 1971 team to Australia and New Zealand, alongside his clubmates.
It was a high point in his career.
"You didn't realise at the time just how big a thing we were achieving, not at all," Dawes told walesonline.co.uk of the 2-1 Test series win his side achieved.
"The memory of it all is one of great pleasure and luck of being in the right place at the right time and playing with a great bunch of boys of all nationalities. You live with these boys, you travel with these boys and it was just a thrill.
"Everyone was part of it, there were no superstars.
"Playing under Carwyn James, who was a gentleman, top-class, it was such an experience.
"It was his belief in how we should play the game, but also how he treated people," he said.
One achievement, especially to Welshman, was never losing to England as either a player or coach. But he can also reflect on both captaining and coaching Wales to Grand Slams.
He retired from Test rugby after the 1971 tour but played a final international, the now-famous Barbarians game against Ian Kirkpatrick's 1972-73 All Blacks, playing a key role in the famous try started by first five-eighths Phil Bennett in his 22m area, and finished by halfback Gareth Edwards who touched down.
By modern standards, his 26 caps, 22 for Wales and four with the Lions, might not seem many but they represented a much more restricted international programme.
After his retirement, it may have seemed a quick promotion to coaching Wales in 1973, but he had nearly 10 years of club coaching behind him. More success for Wales followed as they won the then Five Nations Championship four seasons out of five, including two Grand Slams.
But when appointed coach of the 1977 Lions to New Zealand, he was unable to match his playing success, the All Blacks winning a vital fourth Test in the last moments to deny Dawes and captain Phil Bennett a share of the series spoils.
Dawes is the honorary president of the Welsh Rugby Union and he became an inductee of the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016.
"You think back on it now, the people you have met, the people you have played with, the people you travelled with, it was a real experience," he said.
"The friendships rugby brings you are so important. Sometimes you take it for granted, but then you realise that they are your mates.
"It was such a pleasure and a privilege to be able to play with the people I did.
"It was a real experience. When you think of the talent of those players, I have been very lucky. The people I played with are all special.
"You just enjoyed it and you just wanted to carry on playing," he said.
"I've been very lucky, not only have I played a lot of games, I've done a lot of travelling, met a lot of people and all in all it's been fantastic.
"Rugby gives you opportunities that other walks of life don't," he said.
"I have been lucky when you consider where I've been, what I've done, who I've met and who we won against. All those memories are special."