Former Eire and British and Irish Lions captain Ronnie Dawson has died on the age of 92.
The Dubliner, who represented Eire 27 occasions between 1958 and 1965, handed away on Friday after a protracted sickness.
Dawson captained Eire 11 occasions and led the Lions on their 1959 tour of Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He performed in six Exams as Lions captain, a file which was later equalled by Martin Johnson.
As captain on that 1959 tour, the Leinster hooker skippered the Lions to a well-known 9-6 win over New Zealand at Eden Park – their solely different victory on the bottom aside from England’s 1973 success.
Dawson was additionally appointed assistant supervisor/coach of the 1968 Lions tour and have become the primary coach of Eire in 1969, a task he held for 3 years.
He additionally represented the Barbarians 22 occasions between 1956 and 1965, together with their 1957 tour to South Africa.
‘A quintessential chief’
“Ronnie Dawson was an iconic determine in Irish and worldwide rugby, whose impression transcended many eras,” stated Irish Rugby Soccer Union (IRFU) chief govt Kevin Potts.
“He made vital impressions as a participant, coach, supervisor and administrator for Wanderers, Leinster, the Barbarians, the British & Irish Lions, World Rugby and Eire.
“He was a quintessential chief and leaves a long-lasting legacy which is able to by no means be forgotten. We prolong our sympathies to his daughters Sandra and Jackie, his son Nigel and a really huge circle of household and buddies at this unhappy time.”
After his enjoying days, Dawson was elected to the IRFU govt committee in 1970 and have become IRFU president for the 1989-90 season.
His different roles included being Irish consultant on the Worldwide Rugby Board (IRB) from 1974 to 1994 and a member of the Rugby World Cup organising committee for the primary match in 1987.
Dawson’s contribution to the game was acknowledged by the IRB with the Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service in 2004 earlier than being inducted into its Corridor of Fame in 2013.