Tributes have been paid across Cardiff after the death of Roger Goode, a veteran PE teacher and rugby coach who worked in city schools for more than three decades and led the Wales Schools side between 1990 and 2000. He was 83.
Career in schools and rugby
Goode taught at several Cardiff schools during a long career in education, including Bishop Hannon, Cantonian and St John’s School. He served as head of PE at Cantonian for many years and was widely credited with nurturing several players who went on to higher-level rugby careers.
| Institution | Role |
|---|---|
| Bishop Hannon | Teacher |
| Cantonian | Head of PE (for a number of decades) |
| St John’s School | Teacher |
He combined school duties with an extensive voluntary role in the city’s youth game, acting as chairman, coach and selector for Cardiff Schools Rugby Union. During the 1990s he also coached South Glamorgan to two Welsh County Championships.
City sporting landmarks
Goode was part of the famed Cardiff Dewar Shield side that went unbeaten in 1972, an achievement recorded as 26 wins and one draw that season. His coaching and selection work at school level is widely acknowledged as instrumental in the development of players including Wales scrum-half Terry Holmes and Cardiff figure Brendan McAloon.
"For more than 35 years, Roger Goode dedicated his life to education, young people and the game of rugby," read a tribute from Cardiff Schools Rugby Union.
Family and local connections
To his family he was a devoted father and grandfather. He is survived by his two sons, James and Mike, and grandsons Fletcher, Sullivan and Joseph. James Goode followed a professional playing career that included spells with Cardiff, the Ospreys, Newcastle and Manawatu.
Even in later life, relatives said, Goode remained actively involved in watching and supporting his grandchildren’s sport; his last match was at St Fagans, where he watched James, Fletcher and Sullivan play for Cowbridge Cricket Club. The club has announced it will hold a minute’s silence this Saturday ahead of matches in his honour.
Local impact and legacy
Former colleagues and organisations paying tribute emphasised Goode’s long-term commitment both in the classroom and on the playing field. Cardiff Schools Rugby Union highlighted the hours he gave to coaching teams in rugby, baseball and athletics and the influence he had on generations of pupils.
- Led Wales Schools rugby team, 1990–2000.
- Head of PE at Cantonian for decades; taught at Bishop Hannon and St John’s.
- Coached South Glamorgan to two Welsh County Championships in the 1990s.
His death has prompted reflections across the city on the role schoolteachers and volunteer coaches play in shaping young people’s lives and local sporting culture. Messages of condolence have flowed from schools, rugby clubs and former players who cite not only his technical knowledge but his personal commitment to pupils and players.
A civic-minded figure whose work bridged education and community sport, Roger Goode’s contribution to Cardiff’s sporting life is likely to be remembered both in the record books and in the many individuals he coached and taught.
