Dai John
{{Short description|Wales international rugby league footballer}}
{{other people|David John}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|first = RU
|name = W. David John
|fullname = David John
|image = Dai John, Salford Rugby League player.png
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Wales
|death_date =
|death_place = unknown
|weight = {{convert|70|kg|lb stlb|abbr=on}}
|height = {{convert|1.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|ru_position = Half-back
|position = {{rlp|FB|SO}}
|ru_club1 = Penygraig RFC
|ru_year1start = ≤1906
|ru_year1end = ≤06
|ru_appearances1 =
|ru_tries1 =
|ru_goals1 =
|ru_fieldgoals1 =
|ru_points1 =
|club1 = Salford
|year1start = ≤1906
|year1end = ≥13
|appearances1 =
|tries1 =
|goals1 =
|fieldgoals1 =
|points1 =
|teamA = Wales
|yearAstart = 1913
|yearAend =
|appearancesA = 1
|triesA =
|goalsA =
|fieldgoalsA =
|pointsA =
|new = yes
|retired = yes
|updated = 14 June 2010
}}
W. David "Dai" John (birth unknown – death unknown) was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Penygraig RFC, as a half-back, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Wales, and at club level for Salford, as a {{rlp|fb}} or {{rlp|so}}.{{cite book| first1= Graham| last1= Williams| first2= Peter| last2= Lush| first3= David| last3= Farrar| title= The British Rugby League Records Book| publisher= London League| isbn= 978-1-903659-49-6| year= 2009| pages= 108–114}}
Playing career
=International honours=
=Championship final appearances=
During Dai John's time there was Salford's 5-3 victory over Huddersfield in the Championship Final during the 1913–14 season.
=Challenge Cup Final appearances=
Dai John played {{rlp|so}} in Salford's 0-5 defeat by Bradford F.C. in the 1906 Challenge Cup Final during the 1905–06 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 28 April 1906.Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 11 – 1905–06". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
=Club career=
Dai John originally played rugby union, turning out at half-back for Penygraig RFC in the Rhondda.{{cite web|url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4222795/4222796|title=Welshmen Up North – Mystery of Dai Furnish|publisher=newspapers.library.wales|date=10 September 1910|accessdate=17 January 2019}} While still a teenager he switched codes to rugby league. John was considered a "Probable" for the 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, but ultimately he was not selected for the tour.{{cite web|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19100413.2.33&cl=CL1.EP&l=mi&e=-------10--1----0--|title=Northern Union – The Colonial Football Tour – Probable Players|publisher=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}} Writing at the time in the Evening Express, their rugby league correspondent suggested that it was John's height, standing at 5 foot 3 inches, that cost him his place.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:John, David}}
Category:Penygraig RFC players
Category:Place of birth missing
Category:Place of death missing
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:Rugby league fullbacks
Category:Rugby union halfbacks
Category:Salford Red Devils players
Category:Wales national rugby league team players
Category:Welsh rugby league players
Category:Welsh rugby union players