Five SA legends inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame at Rugby World Cup 2015
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Twenty-five greats of the game whose careers spanned three centuries have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. The list include five Springbok legends, namely Naas Botha, Danie Gerber, Hennie Muller, Morné du Plessis and Joost van der Westhuizen.
Players from seven different countries and a wide array of backgrounds were honoured at a special presentation in the Spirit of Rugby lounge at Wembley Stadium ahead of the eagerly-awaited RWC 2015 Pool C match between New Zealand and Argentina.
From pioneering 19th century Welsh tactician Gwyn Nichols to Rugby World Cup winners in Australian centre Tim Horan and South African scrum-half Van der Westhuizen, the latest induction list reads like a ‘who’s who’ of rugby.
Eighteen captains of their country are included, Irishman Fergus Slattery and Mervyn Davies just two of the names that ‘The voice of rugby’ Bill McLaren, the only non-international to feature in the latest round of inductions, once reeled off in his unforgettable BBC commentaries.
Twice-capped coaching guru Carwyn James is one of seven Welshmen to be inducted, while South Africa have five representatives, England, Ireland and Scotland three apiece and a pair of Frenchman and Australians make up the 25-strong group.
The inductees or family members of those who are deceased all received framed caps from World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset and Chief Executive Brett Gosper.
Lapasset said: “The World Rugby Hall of Fame recognises those who have made an indelible mark on our sport through feats on the field of play, displays of great character or through their tireless and inspirational work in driving forward our great game.
“The latest set of inductions includes some real legends, players who have helped to shape the image of rugby and inspire generations of fans. They are truly some of the biggest names in our sport over the past 100 years or so and all have contributed immensely to the enjoyment we have all felt watching top-level rugby over the decades. Each of these 25 inductees has made a positive impression on the sport that will last the test of time.”
Chris Rea and Pablo Mamone, who form the World Rugby Hall of Fame panel along with Henri Garcia, Nigel Starmer-Smith and secretary Chris Thau, were also in attendance.
The full list of inductees into the World Rugby Hall of Fame (in alphabetical order) is:
Phil Bennett (Wales), Naas Botha (South Africa), Gordon Brown (Scotland), Marcel Communeau (France), Gerald Davies (Wales), Mervyn Davies (Wales), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tim Horan (Australia), Andy Irvine (Scotland), Carwyn James (Wales), Barry John (Wales), Tom Kiernan (Ireland), Gwyn Nicholls (Wales), Basil Maclear (Ireland), Bill McLaren (Scotland), Edgar Mobbs (England), Hennie Muller (South Africa), Morné du Plessis (South Africa), Ronald Poulton-Palmer (England), Tom Richards (Australia), Jean-Pierre Rives (France), Fergus Slattery (Ireland), Wavell Wakefield (England), Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa) and John Lewis Williams (Wales).
For more information on the Hall of Fame visit, www.worldrugby.org/halloffame.
About the World Rugby Hall of Fame:
The Hall of Fame was launched in 2006 with the induction of Rugby School and William Webb Ellis (England). Since then the following legends have been inducted: Baron Pierre de Coubertin (France), Danie Craven (South Africa), Wilson Whineray (New Zealand), Gareth Edwards (Wales), John Eales (Australia), the 1888 Natives team and Joseph Warbrick (New Zealand), Ned Haig and the Melrose Club (Scotland), Jack Kyle (Ireland), Philippe Sella (France), Hugo Porta (Argentina), William Maclagan (England), Barry Heatlie (South Africa), Benjamin Osler (South Africa), Cliff Morgan (Wales), Anthony O’Reilly (Ireland), Frik du Preez (South Africa), Syd Millar (Ireland), Willie John McBride (Ireland), Ian McGeechan (Scotland), Jean Prat (France), Andre and Guy Boniface (France), Lucien Mias (France), Serge Blanco (France), Harry Vassall and Alan Rotherham (England), Cardiff RFC and Frank Hancock (Wales), David Gallagher (New Zealand), Barbarian FC and William Carpmael (England), Mike Gibson (Ireland), Ian Roger Vanderfield (Australia), Richard Littlejohn (New Zealand), Nicholas Shehadie (Australia), John Kendall-Carpenter (England), David Kirk (New Zealand), Brian Lochore (New Zealand), Nick Farr-Jones (Australia), Bob Dwyer (Australia), Francois Pienaar (South Africa), George Christie (South Africa), Rod Macqueen (Australia), Gareth Rees (Canada), Clive Woodward (England), Jonah Lomu (New Zealand), Jake White (South Africa), Brian Lima (Samoa), Agustín Pichot (Argentina), Martin Johnson (England), John Smit (South Africa), Gordon Tietjens (New Zealand), Ian and Donald Campbell (Chile), Yoshihiro Sakata (Japan), the 1924 Romanian Olympic team, the gold medal-winning USA Olympic team of 1920 and 1924, Richard and Kennedy Tsimba (Zimbabwe), Alfred St George Hamersley (England), Vladimir Ilyushin (Russia), Waisale Serevi (Fiji), Gavin Hastings (Scotland), Ronnie Dawson (Ireland), David Bedell-Sivright, Bleddyn Williams (Wales), David Bedell-Sivright (Scotland), Robert Seddon and the 1888 British team, John Thornett (Australia), George Gregan (Australia), Mark Ella (Australia), Ken Catchpole (Australia), David Campese (Australia), Thomas Lawton (Australia), Colin Meads (New Zealand), George Nepia (New Zealand), Don Clarke (New Zealand), Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand), Michael Jones (New Zealand), Ian Kirkpatrick (New Zealand), John Kirwan (New Zealand), Fred Allen (New Zealand), Grant Fox (New Zealand), Grant Fox (New Zealand), Terry McLean (New Zealand), Graham Mourie (New Zealand), Nathalie Amiel (France), Gill Burns (England), Patty Jervey (USA), Carol Isherwood (England), Anna Richards (New Zealand), Farah Palmer (New Zealand), Keith Rowlands (Wales), Jim Greenwood (Scotland), JPR Williams (Wales), Michael Lynagh (Australia), Jo Maso (France), Keith Wood (Ireland), Ieuan Evans (Wales), Jason Leonard (England) and Bill Beaumont (England).
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