New intake into rugby's Hall of Fame
Eight former players honoured at gala dinner
Syd Millar, the International Rugby Board (IRB) Chairman, was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame at a gala dinner in Sydney on Thursday evening, along with seven other former rugby greats. The fourth International Rugby Hall of Fame dinner was the first to be held outside Great Britain.
Millar, a former British Lions, Ireland and Ballymena prop, was joined by England's Bill Beaumont, Scotland's Gavin Hastings, Tim Horan of Australia, France's Jo Maso, as well as New Zealanders Michael Jones, Ian Kirkpatrick and John Kirwan.
Millar, who made his debut against France in 1958, played in 38 internationals for his country - the last being against Wales in 1970.
Beaumont played in 34 Tests for England. The first was against Ireland in 1975 and the last came against Scotland in 1982.
Hastings, who played in three RWC tournaments (1987, 1991 and 1999), played in 61 Tests for Scotland. The first was against France in 1986 and his last game was against New Zealand in the '95 RWC quarter-finals.
Horan, who played in the Wallaby World Cup-winning sides of 1991 and 1999 (he was also in the side that lost in the quarter-finals in '95), made his debut against New Zealand in 1989 and played the last of his 80 Tests against Argentina in 2000.
Maso, who by comparison played a mere 25 Tests, made his debut against Italy in 1966. His last game for his country was against Romania in 1973.
Jones, who would have played many more Tests were it not for his religious beliefs that stopped him from playing on Sundays, played in just two RWC tournaments - 1987 and 1991. His debut came in the 70-point hammering of Italy at the '87 RWC and the last of his 55 Tests was against Australia in 1998.
Kirkpatrick, who comes from the era of fewer Tests and longer tours, made the first of his 36 All Black appearances against France in 1967. His last Test was against the British Lions in 1977.
Kirwan, regarded as one of the greatest All Black wingers of all time, made his debut against France in 1984 and was one of just two New Zealand players to decline an invitation to go on tour with the rebel Cavaliers to South Africa in 1986. Ironically, his last Test was against the Springboks in 1994.
International Rugby Hall of Fame members:
1997: Serge Blanco (France), Danie Craven (South Africa), Frik du Preez (South Africa), Gareth Edwards (Wales), Mark Ella (Australia), Mike Gibson (Ireland) , Barry John (Wales), Willie John McBride (Ireland), Colin Meads (New Zealand), Cliff Morgan (Wales), George Nepia (New Zealand), Tony O'Reilly (Ireland), Hugo Porta (Argentina), Jean-Pierre Rives (France) J P R Williams (Wales).
1999: Gerald Davies (Wales), Andy Irvine (Scotland), Nick Farr-Jones (Australia), Carwyn James (Wales), Jack Kyle (Ireland), Brian Lochore (New Zealand), Morné du Plessis (South Africa), Phillippe Sella (France), Wavell Wakefield (England), Wilson Whineray (New Zealand).
2001: Gordon Brown (Scotland), David Campese (Australia), Ken Catchpole (Australia), Don Clarke (New Zealand), Mervyn Davies (Wales), Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand), Michael Lynagh (Australia), Bill McLaren (Scotland), Hennie Muller (South Africa), Jean Prat (France).
2003: Michael Jones (New Zealand), Ian Kirkpatrick (New Zealand), John Kirwan (New Zealand), Bill Beaumont (England), Gavin Hastings (Scotland), Syd Millar (Ireland), Tim Horan (Australia), Jo Maso (France).
