famous irish rugby players 1970s
Two tries from Adrian Hadley sealed the last Welsh win at HQ and set the side on the road to the Triple Crown. Discover the most famous Rugby Players sorted by how old they are. When professionalism kicked in, Clohessy cleaned up his act, reinvented himself as a loosehead and ended up with 54 caps for Ireland but ‘The Claw’ never lost his ruthless edge, nor his reputation as one of the toughest of the tough – they say in Limerick mothers keep his picture on the mantelpiece to keep the kids away from the fire. Notched a try against Australia on his debut and won 22 caps in all. Ireland 9, Wales 12 – Lansdowne Road, 5 March, 1988. PRICEY CROWNS HIS DEBUT – France v Wales, Parc des Princes, 1975. Former Ireland coach can be England’s secret weapon in Dublin, Ireland face daunting task against England in Six Nations closer, * Sign up to the Extra.ie survey panel to trial free products and win prizes for your opinions! THE HADLEY ONE-TWO DOES IT – England v Wales, Twickenham, 1988. The first of our Rugby Union Top 10 series, as we begin by looking at 10 of England's greatest performers. Another of the game's great sidesteppers, he could turn defence into attack in the blink of any eye. The top 50 Irish players of the Six Nations era: 50-41 - The men in green who ushered in triumphant 20 years The Six Nations era has been one of unprecedented success for Irish men's rugby. It’s no easy task to put together, so as well as seeking the opinions of our writers from across the globe, we brought together a panel to debate who should make the cut. List of notable or famous rugby players from Ireland, with bios and photos, including the top rugby players born in Ireland and even some popular rugby players who immigrated to Ireland. Incredible fitness gave ‘The Caveman’ a physique that could withstand all kinds of punishment and, though he took plenty, he always gave out more than he received. Key figure in the 1988 Triple Crown success. The Munster captain took a succession of heavy blows to the head but, mindful of the cost of retaliation to his team, refused to respond and gestured to the officials to step in. ELGAN ROUNDS OFF THE GOLDEN ERA IN STYLE – Wales v England, Arms Park, 1979. Revolutionised the position he adorned in a then record 54 games for Wales. It was tense, it was tough and, in the end, it was thrilling stuff. A look back at some Irish Attacking Plays and Tries from the 1970's, 80's 90's and the new millennium. Will forever be remembered for his match winning, touchline conversion against Scotland at Murrayfield in 1971 – and the big hair do that earned him the nickname of Basil Brush. Who are the greatest ever British and Irish rugby players to have worn the famous red jersey of the Lions? Was first choice for Wales throughout the majority of his 41 cap career and played in 12 successive Tests for the Lions on three tours. However, the incident which eye-wateringly marks out Shelford as one of the hardest to have played the game occurred in Nantes in 1986 when he had four teeth knocked out and his scrotum ripped open by the French. The No8 won two grand slams and three triple crowns for Wales in the late 1960s and 1970s. Only won eight caps in all, but was recognised as one of the best loose heads in the world at his peak, Wales 22, France 12 – Arms Park, 6 February, 1982. One of the best prop technicians in the world game in the early eighties, he was a real hit with the Lions in South Africa in 1980. ... We've taken a look at a combined XV of Irish players who've departed the Irish clubs and provinces for careers abroad in the professional era. ELGAN ROUNDS OFF REES CHARGE – Scotland v Wales, Murrayfield, 1983. Phil Bennett had pulled out of the first Grand Slam showdown. Up stepped John Taylor, over went the touchline conversion and Wales marched on to the Slam. Skipper John Dawes told everyone to calm down and Delme Thomas won a crucial line-out in the Scottish 22. A Lion before he won his first Welsh cap, he played No 8 and flanker for Wales in 23 games and was ever-present in the 1978 Grand Slam side. O’Connell got a yellow card but the Clermont man got red and Munster won the game. Between 1971 and 1976, Scotland lost just once at home, a narrow defeat to the All Blacks. Geoff 'The Ripper' was at the heart of the Welsh packs that won the Grand Slams in 1976 and 1978 and ended with a record of 16 wins and a draw from 18 Five Nations Championship matches. However, the regard Meads was held in as arguably the greatest All Black of all was hammered home by the global reaction to his death and is best summed up by the words of New Zealand coach Steve Hansen: ‘His loss will be felt all over the world, a legend of the game, it is always sad when one of the big Kauri trees falls.”. This special list of the top 10 Irish artists tallies the biggest Billboard stars who were born, raised and/or formed in Ireland. Two of those came in the vital win at Twickenham – a ground where he scored the only try in the Welsh win of 1984. If you're trying to find out the names of famous Irish rugby players then this list is the perfect resource for you. Turned from a teenage sensation for Wales into the world's greatest full back. Wales looked down and out until late in the game and the Triple Crown seemed lost. From his international breakthrough in 1993, the Leicester man stood out as a special second row who played right on the edge and it brought him a World Cup, three Lions tours and a reputation as the most intimidating forward of his era. Wales hadn't won in Paris for 14 years and hadn't won the Grand Slam for 19 years. Fond of ‘softening up’ the opposition, the backrow famously levelled his opposite number before charging over for a try with four Welshmen hanging off him in 1895 and then barrelling his way over the line with four Welshman hanging off him. Injuries plagued his Lions career, prematurely ending his two tours, and he finished his career with Bradford Northern. One of the world's most feared and renowned tight head props. With no help forthcoming, O’Connell realised he would have to take matters into his own hands and unleashed a savage counter-attack which drove Cudmore into the Thomond turf. Caps. His exploits on that expedition were legendary, on and off the pitch – described by the South Africans as the ‘outstanding’ Lion on tour who played in all three Tests, inspiring victory in the third, it was said he used to relax between games by ‘wrecking hotels and beating up dockers’. He was also a pivotal member of both the victorious Lions … A Grand Slammer in 1971, he quit at the peak of his powers and will forever be in the running to wear the No 10 jersey in the world's greatest team of all-time. Played eight successive Tests for the Lions on their victorious tours to New Zealand and South Africa. Suspended for stamping on St Mary’s Steve Jameson during an AIL match and for the same offence against France’s Olivier Roumat in Parc des Princes in 1996. Forward Nominees – Richard Moriarty, Rob Norster, Graham Price, Jeff Squire. 'The George Best of rugby'. *, Sexton takes the positive from poor discipline ahead of Toulouse clash, Watch: When Paul O’Connell schooled BBC panel on why Ireland are winning, Why Andy Farrell had to drop James Lowe for Ireland’s clash with England, Jack Conan’s Ireland return is overdue but one MAJOR concern remains, Eir set to quit sports broadcasting due to major loss of revenue, Rachael Blackmore is a trailblazing jockey who happens to be a woman, Foreign fans banned from attending Tokyo Olympics this summer, ‘King Henry’ de Bromhead crowned during dream Cheltenham week. France 5, Wales 9 – Stade Colombes, 27 March, 1971. Ireland vs England: Who wins the head-to-head player battles? Then Bobby Windsor rolled away from a maul, fed Gareth Edwards and Steve Fenwick gave JJ Williams the chance to race to the corner for the try that made history. Tough as teak Terry became the world's best scrum half in the eighties and a serious contender to Gareth Edwards as one of the best of all time. Captained Wales to third place at the inaugural World Cup and picked up six wins from seven games in charge. Wales 22, Australia 21 – RWC, 3rd Place Play-off, Rotorua, 18 June, 1987. He had already scored one in the 35-12 rout of the Scots, but his second was special. Wales 19, France 13 – Arms Park, 6 March, 1976. Off the pitch, he condoned savage bonding sessions that laid waste to hotels where, during one particularly raucous session, he once famously responded to a threat of police involvement with the anticipatory query: “Will there be many of them?”. There were two minutes to go and the 1971 Grand Slam quest seemed to be coming off the rails at Murrayfield. Here we take a look at the hardest men to have played the game – and the Irish feature heavily…. He played 141 test matches for Ireland, which includes 83 matches as the captain and played 8 for the British and Irish Lions, which, in total, made him the most-capped player in rugby union history. The former paratrooper and amateur heavyweight boxing champion was enormous (6ft4in, 19stone) for a prop at that time and his approach to rugby was best described by English prop Fran Cotton as “like an angry bouncer going to work on you”. It was a record win in Dublin and a record high against the Irish. Famous for his refusal to indulge pain, Meads famously played for 74 minutes with a broken arm against Eastern Province in 1970. Willie John’s reputation was cemented on the victorious Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974, when he instigated the infamous ’99’ call when the entire team would mill into their nearest opponent on the understanding that the referee could not send off all 15. The second row from Queen’s University played only six times for Ireland between 1937 and 1939 but was a star of the 1938 Lions tour to South Africa. A try scoring machine for Cardiff, he scored more touchdowns in the eighties for Wales than anyone else with nine. Discover the most famous Rugby Players sorted by how old they are. Clohessy’s disciplinary issues took attention away from the fact that he was a hell of a rugby player. His speciality was knocking out opponents, most infamously against Scotland in 1979, when he took out four of them. One of the greatest duel players of all time, Babs arrived on the inter-county scene in the early sixties, winning his first All- Ireland medal in 1964. Played a large part of his career in pain from a troublesome shoulder but never complained nor shirked a physical challenge and it was the brutish side of the game Johnson relished most. When World War II broke out, he was recruited as one of the founding members of the SAS and is said to have destroyed 130 enemy aircraft on night raids in Libya and Egypt. Phill Bennett played a captain's role with two tries and a conversion and Gareth Edwards singed off his remarkable career in style. Blackmore is a reluctant interviewee, and when she does consent to one, she... Around this time two years ago, John Mitchell threw down the gauntlet ahead of England's clash with Ireland in Dublin. Wales 16, France 7 – Arms Park, 18 March, 1978. Consistently voted the greatest rugby player of all-time, he was capped as a teenager and became the youngest ever captain of his country at 20 years and eight months. A fearsome mauler – hence the nickname – he was a converted footballer who became a legendary second row. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Forward Nominees – Mervyn Davies, Derek Quinnell, John Taylor, Geoff Wheel, Bobby Windsor. Meads became only the second All Black to be sent off when Irish referee Kevin Kelleher sent him to the line for dangerous use of the boot. John began his rugby career as a schoolboy playing for his local team Cefneithin RFC before switching to first-class west Wales team Llanelli RFC in 1964. The legendary ‘Pinetree’ was McBride’s great rival in the 1960s and early 1970s, famous for piling in at the first sign of provocation. List of England national rugby union players is a list of people who have played for the England national rugby union team.The list only includes players who have played in a Test match.. The first of the Llanelli dynasty to play for Wales. After the big win in Dublin, only the French stood between Mervyn Davies' side and a second Grand Slam of the decade. DAI MORRIS. Whoever the genius was that dreamt that tag up, it stuck. The world champion All Blacks ran in 18 tries in two Tests, but had to concede the best of the lot in the series to Jonathan Davies. Points. The Irish second row was certainly blessed with special rugby powers having been one of the world’s leading tight forwards for more than a decade. Scored a record 166 points for his country during the glory days of the seventies and also captained the Lions in New Zealand in 1977. Played more games than anyone else in the decade and notched more victories. Made his name as part of the terrifying Young Munster (‘Cookie Monsters’) pack of the early 1990s, three of whom featured in the Munster side that stunned Australia at Musgrave Park in 1992. England 3, Wales 11 – Twickenham, 6 February, 1988. In rugby terms, however, it was the stage of one of the most controversial sporting series in history; the 1974 Lions tour to South Africa. Legends surround the 1970s French prop known as ‘The Master Of Menace’, voted the ‘Most frightening French rugby player of all time’ in 2006. Has there ever been a sweeter sight on a rugby field than Gerald Davies in full flow? Note that the "position" column lists the position at which the player made his Test debut, not necessarily the position for which he is best known. Simply the best! Teague went on to win the player of the series award as the Lions emerged unlikely 2-1 victors and his name still causes chills Down Under. McBride’s ruthless approach was probably best demonstrated against Orange Free State, whose giant lock Johan de Bruyn was hit so hard his glass eye was knocked out. Rather than go to hospital, Shelford went to the sidelines, got a couple of stitches and returned to the game. Mark Ring launched an audacious move from deep in his own 22, Jonathan Mason joined in and Jonathan Davies was sent racing 65 metres to the line – the only high spot in an otherwise miserable tour for the European champions. Of all the 20 tries Gareth Edwards scored for Wales, this is considered his greatest. Hard as nails and highly mobile, his wit and personality made him a stand-out character in some of the greatest Wales and Lions packs of all-time. Wales were seeking to build on their promising World Cup and went looking for a good start to their championship at Twickenham. Won three Grand Slams with his country and two Lions series with the British tourists. An uncompromising character who turned into a strong leader of his country. Ireland 9, Wales 34 – Lansdowne Road, 21 February, 1976. Stephen Rea was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Won more games in a Welsh shirt than any other player (37) and picked up three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns. A powerhouse back row man who was equally at home at No 8 and at flanker. Clive Griffiths, a second half replacement for JPR Williams at full back, broke out of his 22 and kicked ahead for Elgan Rees to score a fifth try and complete the rout that end the second Golden Era. A string of awards for bravery decorated his military career and Mayne was recommended for a Victoria Cross by Field Marshal Montgomery in 1945 after his role in saving a squadron of troops pinned down by heavy gunfire, lifting the wounded one by one and putting them in his jeep before taking out the enemy machine gun post. His second secured the third Grand Slam of the seventies as he took an inside pass from JJ Williams to cross in the right corner. That prepared him perfectly for a career with Gloucester and England where he revelled in any opportunity to throw his weight around. Drew with South Africa in 1970. Won a Grand Slam in 1978 and 29 caps in all for Wales. Went on to manage Wales in the nineties. Up stepped Paul Thorburn to kick the winning points. Selected on the Lions tour to South Africa in 1896, Crean’s won further renown for roughing up the locals and then stayed on to work as a doctor, joining the Imperial Light Horse when the Boer War began in 1899. The skipper got a kick in the calf and almost had to leave the filed. Part of the infamous Pontypool front row, he picked up Grand Slams in 1976 and 1978. In the past, beating the old enemy has ensured a positive finish to a disappointing... As the Irish 'village' by the Best Mate Enclosure, where visiting stable staff hailed 23 winners out of 28 races, emptied last night, a sense of disbelief settled on the Cheltenham coliseum. But a Paul Moriarty try and a late penalty from the ever reliable Paul Thorburn clinched a first Triple Crown in nine years. Another epic creation of the Welsh outside half factory. Described by his SAS colleagues as a ‘psychopath’ and ‘crazy Irish b*****d’, Paddy Mayne is enshrined in history as an incredibly tough man, rugby player and the most decorated Allied soldier of World War II. Great ball carrier, he also made a considerable impact with the Lions on three successive tours. 42. Wales responded to some stinging criticism, and avoided an eighth successive away defeat, by conjuring up a brillliant try. 15 Irish rugby players who had success overseas. Wales had lost three of their four championship games and had gone down 15-11 only a month earlier to an Irish side boasting 13 of the team that turned up for their RWC debut. The quadrennial sporting event had been postponed to July 23 of this year from its original... We've been here many times before, Ireland taking on England in Dublin on the final day of the Six Nations. Another player who turned to rugby league and became a northern success story. Examples of O’Connell’s hardness are numerous in a professional career which stretched to a decade and a half but the most famous was in a European Cup clash against Clermont at Thomond Park in December 2008. Won four of his five games as captain and scored 37 points in 23 games. Was a Lion in New Zealand in 1983 and again in Australia in 1989. 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