Born in Splott, Cardiff, Clive Sullivan became the first Black sports captain for Great Britain in any sport, part of the victorious 1972 Rugby League World Cup team. 

But although he was a rugby player as a child, surgery on his knees, feet and shoulders from age 14 meant doctors thought it was unlikely he would walk normally again, let alone play his sport.

After leaving school, he joined the army in 1961 and was posted to Catterick in Yorkshire. Being Welsh, he was asked to play in an inter-corps rugby match. This put Sullivan in a dilemma – if he admitted to major injuries and surgery he would be invalided out of the army. Instead, he chose to play. Intending to play badly he could not help his instincts and after playing well with no ill-effects he decided to take up rugby again.

He turned professional, playing for Hull, before beginning his international career in 1967, culminating in captaincy in 1972 and World Cup glory.

Clive Sullivan was awarded an MBE for services to rugby league.

He died in 1985 and is commemorated in Hull by the re-naming of the city’s main approach road as Clive Sullivan Way. In 2020 he was one of three Welsh rugby league players chosen to be honoured with statues, planned to be put up in Cardiff Bay. 

Read Alex Wharton’s poem Imagine inspired by the life and achievements of Clive Sullivan.

Imagine

(in memory of Clive Sullivan)

When my knees went,

my shoulders went too, and

so did my feet.

   All that rough and tough,

      muscle tear, bone dust.

I’ll bottle-up my speed,

                      Keep it for dreams.

 

I’ll join the army, drift north

to Yorkshire. If must, I’ll play

the game I love, but only so

my broken bones don’t send

me back to Cardiff.

I’ll bottle-up my power,

           play it safe for an hour.

 

But if the ball finds me,

And my feet take off, it’ll be

What’s meant to be.

Muscles working from

memory. And mind filtering

my options. 

       Hand-off, shoulder dip,

         Sidestep, twist.

This, is my freedom. The space

Between them and me. I’m gliding

over grass, smiling.

 

I’m a drumbeat, rock and roll

Swift as river,  a rolling stone.

A firework, a dancing flame,

I’ll run through pain, I’ll pave the way.