Welsh greats honoured
The day after Wales’s former record try scorer joined fellow countrymen Phil Bennett, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies, Gareth Edwards, Carwyn James, Barry John, Cliff Morgan, Gwyn Nicholls and JPR Williams on the global list, Bennett and Arthur Gould entered the highly prestigious Welsh Sports Hall of Fame ‘Roll of Honour’.
Evans was one of 10 rugby legends from the past eight decades to join the IRHOF. Joining him in the latest draft, which takes the number of greats included in the Hall of Fame to 65, are fellow wing legend Jonah Lomu, England and Lions prop Jason Leonard and Irish Lions Tom Kiernan and Fergus Slattery.
New names are added every two years and Evans’s induction means Wales enjoys the second highest representation in the IRHOF behind New Zealand, who have 15 members.
The 10 new members for 2007 are: Ieuan Evans (Wales/British & Irish Lions), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tom Kiernan (Ireland/British & Irish Lions), Jason Leonard (England/British & Irish Lions), Jonah Lomu (New Zealand), Sir Terry McLean (New Zealand journalist), Graham Mourie (New Zealand), Bennie Osler (South Africa), Fergus Slattery (Ireland/British & Irish Lions), Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa).
The newcomers will be formally inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame at a special dinner to be held at Old Billingsgate, London, on Tuesday October 9th.
The International Rugby Hall of Fame Trust was created as a charitable trust in New Zealand in 1995 and the first induction took place two years later. Among the original inductees were the All Black Colin Meads, Lions’ legends Willie John McBride and Gareth Edwards, and the magical French fullback Serge Blanco.
The Trust is independent of any rugby body and its nomination and voting processes are vigorous. The short list for the biennial induction is compiled via nominations from 35 senior rugby journalists from all over the world, and the final list of 10 is identified by polling the 12 trustees of the IRHOF.
Designed to honour players, coaches or any individual who has made a major contribution to the game of rugby union, players have to be retired from international test rugby for 12 months to qualify for the initial voting process.
The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame ‘Roll of Honour’ was launched in 1990 when 10 great sportsmen and women were enrolled. Among them were Welsh rugby great Ken Jones.
At the City Hall, Cardiff, on Friday June 22nd, Gould and Bennett took the rugby union representation on the now 99 strong list to 16. There are also four ex-Welsh rugby union caps among the eight Rugby League representatives on the list.
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame ‘Roll of Honour’ Members:
RUGBY UNION (16): Phil Bennett, Gareth Edwards, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies, John Dawes, Arthur Gould, John Gwilliam, Carwyn James, Barry John, Cliff Jones, Ken Jones, Jack Matthews, Cliff Morgan, Gwyn Nicholls, Bleddyn Williams, JPR Williams
RUGBY LEAGUE (8): Billy Boston, Jonathan Davies, Willie Davies, Trevor Foster, Lewis Jones, Gus Risman, Jim Sullivan, David Watkins
International Rugby Hall of Fame Inductees
ARGENTINA (1): Hugo Porta
AUSTRALIA (7): Ken Catchpole, David Campese, John Eales, Mark Ella, Nick Farr-Jones, Tim Horan, Michael Lynagh
ENGLAND (4): Bill Beaumont, Martin Johnson, Jason Leonard, Sir Wavell Wakefield
FRANCE (6): Andrew Boniface, Serge Blanco, Jo Maso, Jean Prat, Jean-Pierre Rives, Philippe Sella
IRELAND (8): Mike Gibson, Tom Kiernan, Jackie Kyle, Willie-John McBride, Syd Millar, Tony O’Reilly, Fergus Slattery, Keith Wood
NEW ZEALAND (15): Fred Allen, Don Clarke, Sean Fitzpatrick, Grant Fox, Dave Gallaher, Michael Jones, Ian Kirpatrick, John Kirwan, Sir Brian Lochore, Jonah Lomu, Sir Terry McLean, Colin Meads, Graham Mourie, George Nepia, Sir Wilson Whineray
SCOTLAND (5): Gordon Brown, Gavin Hastings, Andy Irvine, Ian McGeechan, Bill McLaren
SOUTH AFRICA (9): Naas Botha, Danie Craven, Morne du Plessis, Frik du Preez, Danie Gerber, Hennie Muller, Bennie Osler, Francois Pienaar, Joost van der Westhuizen
WALES (10): Phil Bennett, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies, Gareth Edwards, Ieuan Evans, Carwyn James, Barry John, Cliff Morgan, Gwyn Nicholls, JPR Williams
