John Vivian Pullin was born in Aust, Thornbury and attended Thornbury Grammar School. He played in an outstanding Bristol side in the sixties and from here he was recognised by the England selectors. He gained his first cap in 1966 against Wales but defeat that day meant that he did not win his second, from his total 42, until 1968.

Later in 1968 he was selected to tour with the British Lions to South Africa, and in 1971 he toured again with the British Isles team to Australia and New Zealand. Pullin was singled out for some heavy treatment (after the other Test contender for hooker, Frank Laidlaw, was sidelined with knee ligament problems) during a six match stint before the first test, but this composed sportsman from the West Country rode the storm infallibly to figure in all four Tests.

After a disastrous English season in 1972, Pullin was asked to lead his side on their tour of South Africa. Remarkably they won the Test match in Johannesburg and Pullin went on to captain England to victories over New Zealand and Australia in 1973, completing the hat-trick over the three southern Hemisphere sides.