WALES rugby legend and Old Monmothian Keith Jarrett was guest of honour when he officially opened the Wooden Spoon Bus, a new meeting hub for disadvantaged children.

The bus was kindly purchased by Mr Humphrey Norrington OBE and following a major £10,000 refurbishment funded by the Wooden Spoon charity, now provides a safe haven in the grounds of St Stephens churching Pill, Newport, for children and young people in the community to meet and play.

The bus was the latest brainchild of Rev Justin Groves – the Pill Trust’s other initiatives include a clothing scheme, foodbank and community play area.

The bus will hopefully ensure young people and their families have a safe and special meeting place.

Keith Jarrett was selected for Wales in 1967 aged 18 just months after leaving school, and scored a remarkable length of the field try on his debut against England, notching 19 points in a 34-21 victory.

Jarrett was born in Newport, the son of former Glamorgan cricketer Hal Jarrett, and attended Monmouth School until 1966 where he excelled at both rugby and cricket, captaining both teams .

Like his father, he played cricket for Glamorgan County Cricket Club.

In 1966 Keith Jarrett he played his first official rugby union match for Newport against Ebbw Vale, shortly after leaving school.

Jarrett played his first international for Wales on 15 April 1967 against England, aged 18.

He had been selected at full back even though he had never played senior rugby in that position.

Newport were asked to play him at full back against Newbridge on the weekend before the international to give him some experience.

He did not seem to be much of a success in his new position and at hal-time, captain and Wales fly-half David Watkins, switched him to centre.

But the following week Jarrett played in his first international and scored a breathtaking try.

England won a line-out in their own 25 (as it was then). The ball was passed down the line to English centre, Colin McFadyean, who kicked towards the halfway line.

The ball bounced once and was seemingly going in to touch. Instead, Jarrett took the ball without breaking his stride, and outflanked the astonished England defence to score in the left corner.

He converted his own try from just inside the touchline. Besides scoring a try, he kicked two penalty goals and five conversions for a total of 19 points, equalling a Welsh record.

His performance on the field was so impressive that the match has been known ever since as the Keith Jarrett match and he made the cover of Rugby World magazine two months later.

The try has been highly-ranked in several popular polls to select the greatest Welsh tries.

In 1968 he set a club record of 30 points for Newport against Penarth, and was selected for the 1968 British Lions tour to South Africa.

Jarrett later switched to rugby league with Barrow, but his playing career was cut short in 1973, aged just 25, when he suffered a stroke resulting from a haemorrhage.