- Date of Birth11 / 06 / 1934
- Died30 / 01 / 2015
- Lions Tours1966
- International CapsWales / Lions
- Lions Origin ClubsTylorstown, Welsh Academicals, Barbarians, Cardiff Rugby
Howard Norris was part of the Lions party for the 1966 Tour of Australia and New Zealand, playing in three of the six Tests - each of those caps coming against the All Blacks.
He was selected for the Tour after lying about his age. The selectors at the time did not consider players over the age of 30 which would have ruled out 31-year-old Norris.
The prop celebrated his 32nd birthday while on Tour and the rest of the squad presented him with a tankard with “Happy 30th” written on it as a joke.
At the end of the Tour Norris was one of four Lions invited to represent the New Zealand Barbarians. But, after arriving to play, discovered their insurance had run out and couldn’t play in the game.
Norris played his club rugby for Cardiff at the time of his call-up and made a record 413 appearances for the south Wales club. He was captain for two seasons between 1962 and 1965. Norris turned out for hometown club Tylorstown before moving to Cardiff.
A schoolmaster by trade, Norris was educated at St Luke’s College in Exeter and won two caps for Wales between 1963 and 1966.
He passed away in 2015 at the age of 80.