International Rugby Hall of Fame - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The International Rugby Hall of Fame (IRHOF) is a hall of fame

Hall of Fame

A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...

for rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

. It was created in 1997 in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

and is run as a charitable trust

Charitable trust

A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...

with an address at Chiswick

Chiswick

Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...

in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. Most of the trustee

Trustee

Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...

s are also inductees. IRHOF accepts new inductees every two years. Most inductees are former players, but others who have contributed to the game are eligible.

1997 Inductees

Serge Blanco

Serge Blanco is a former rugby union footballer who played fullback for Biarritz Olympique and the French national side, gaining 93 caps, 81 of them at fullback. His alternative position was wing....

Danie Craven

Daniël Hartman Craven , more famously known as Danie Craven or simply Doc Craven, is a former Western Province, Eastern Province, Northern Transvaal and Springbok rugby union player as well as arguably South Africa's best and best-known rugby administrator...

Gareth Edwards

Gareth Owen Edwards CBE is a former Welsh rugby union footballer who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey"....

Mark Ella

Mark Gordon Ella is an Indigenous Australian former rugby union player, often considered as one of his country's all-time greats in that sport. In a relatively short career , Mark Ella established himself as one of the all-time greats in world rugby union...

Mike Gibson

Barry John

Barry John is a former Welsh rugby union fly-half who played, during the amateur era of the sport, in the 1960s and early 1970s. 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...

Willie John McBride

William James McBride, MBE, better known as Willie John McBride is a former rugby union footballer who played as a lock for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He played 63 Tests for Ireland including eleven as captain, and toured with the Lions five times — a record that gave him 17...

Colin Meads

Sir Colin Earl Meads, KNZM, MBE , is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. He played 55 test matches , most frequently in the lock forward position, for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, from 1957 until 1971.Meads is widely considered one of the greatest players in history...

Cliff Morgan

Cliff Morgan is a former Welsh rugby union player who played for Cardiff RFC and earned 29 caps for Wales between 1951 and 1958.-Rugby career:...

George Nepia

George Nepia was a Māori rugby union and rugby league player. He is remembered as an exceptional full-back and one of the most famous Māori rugby players. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2004 he was selected as number 65 by the panel of the New Zealand's Top...

Frik du Preez

Frederik Christoffel Hendrik "Frik" du Preez is a former South African rugby union player who represented Northern Transvaal and the Springboks. He was born on a farm near Rustenburg and went to school at the Parys High School in Parys...

Tony O'Reilly

Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly is an Irish businessman and former international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as former CEO and Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of...

Hugo Porta

Hugo Porta is a former Argentine Rugby Union footballer, an inductee of both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and IRB Hall of Fame, and one of the best fly-halves the sport has seen...

Jean-Pierre Rives

Jean-Pierre Rives is a French former rugby union player who won 59 caps for France as a flanker. Although considered too small by some for the position, Rives displayed tremendous courage and flair, epitomising the spirit of French rugby...

JPR Williams

1999 Inductees

Gerald Davies

Thomas Gerald Reames Davies CBE is one of the acknowledged greats of Welsh rugby, playing for the side between 1966 and 1978.-Biography:...

Morne du Plessis

Morne du Plessis is a former South African rugby union player. He is often described as one of the Springboks' most successful captains. Playing at number 8, his national career spanned ten years, five of which he was captain...

Nick Farr-Jones

Nicholas Campbell Farr-Jones is a former Australian rugby union footballer. His position was scrum-half. He attended Newington College and St Andrew's College within the University of Sydney...

Andy Irvine

Andy Irvine (rugby player)

Andrew Robertson "Andy" Irvine MBE is a former President of the Scottish Rugby Union , and a former Scottish international rugby player. He earned fifty one Scottish caps, and scored over 250 points for .-Background:...

Carwyn James

Carwyn Rees James was a Welsh rugby union player and coach. He won two Welsh international caps but is most famous for his coaching achievements for both Llanelli and the British Lions.-Personal history:...

Jack Kyle

John Wilson Kyle OBE , commonly referred to as Jack Kyle or Jackie Kyle, is a former rugby union player who played for Ireland, the British Lions and the Barbarians during the 1940s and 1950s...

Brian Lochore

Sir Brian James Lochore, ONZ, KNZM, OBE is a former rugby union footballer and coach who represented and captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He played at number 8 and lock, as well as captaining the side 46 times...

Philippe Sella

Philippe Sella is a French former rugby union player, who held the record for most international appearances until beaten by Jason Leonard. He became a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1999, and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2008.Sella joined Saracens in 1996 from French side Agen...

Wavell Wakefield

Wilson Whineray

Sir Wilson James Whineray, KNZM, OBE is a former business executive and the longest-serving captain of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby union team. Rugby writer T.P. McLean considered him the All Blacks' greatest captain.He first played for the All Blacks in 1957...

2001 Inductees

Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown (rugby player)

Gordon Lamont Brown was a Scottish international rugby union footballer. He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2001. His nickname is Broon frae Troon after his home town in west central Scotland. Brown played second row for West of Scotland, Scotland and the British Lions...

David Campese

David Ian Campese , also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player. Campese was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and held the world record for the most tries in test matches until Daisuke Ohata scored his 65th try playing for Japan on 14 May 2006...

Ken Catchpole

Ken Catchpole OAM, is a former Australian rugby union footballer. A state and national representative half-back, he played twenty-seven matches for Australia, thirteen as captain. Catchpole rose through the ranks at the Randwick club as a young man, before making his debut for New South Wales...

Don Clarke

Donald Barry Clarke was a New Zealand rugby union player who played 89 times as a New Zealand international from 1956 until 1964...

Mervyn Davies

Thomas Mervyn "Merv the Swerve" Davies , is a former Welsh rugby union player who won 38 caps for Wales as a No. 8.Davies was born in Swansea, where he attended Penlan County School....

Sean Fitzpatrick

Sean Fitzpatrick MNZM is a former rugby union footballer who represented New Zealand, and is widely regarded as one of the finest players ever to come from that country. He is also the son of former player Brian Fitzpatrick....

Michael Lynagh

Michael Lynagh is a former Australian rugby union footballer who played as a Fly-half.Lynagh represented Australia from 1984 to 1995, playing at both inside centre and fly half. Lynagh was capped 72 times for Australia, and was captain from 1993 to 1995. He was the world points scoring record...

Bill McLaren

William Pollock "Bill" McLaren CBE was a Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby player. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as 'the voice of rugby'...

, commentator

Hennie Muller

Hendrik "Hennie" Scholtz Vosloo Muller was a South African rugby union footballer. Born in Witbank, Muller is considered one of the greatest South African footballers, captaining the national side, the Springboks in nine tests, and is a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame...

Jean Prat

Jean Prat was French rugby union footballer. He was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1959. He played over 50 times for France and is a member of both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and IRB Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2001 and 2011 respectively...

2003 Inductees

Bill Beaumont

William "Bill" Blackledge Beaumont CBE was captain of the England rugby union team at a time when they struggled to win games. His greatest moment as captain was the unexpected 1980 Grand Slam. He played as a lock...

Gavin Hastings

Andrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...

Tim Horan

Tim Horan AM is a former Australian rugby union footballer. He played for the Queensland Reds in the Super 12, and represented Australia, he was one of the best centres in the world throughout the 1990s due to his attacking prowess, formidable defence and playmaking ability.As well as inside...

Michael Jones

Ian Kirkpatrick

Ian Andrew Kirkpatrick is a former New Zealand rugby union player, who was captain of the All Blacks.Kirkpatrick began his first-class career in 1966 at the age of 20 playing for Poverty Bay. One year later in he moved to Canterbury and established himself in the local provincial team...

John Kirwan

John Kirwan (rugby player)

John James Patrick Kirwan, ONZM, MBE is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, and former All Black, turned coach. With 35 tries in 63 tests for the All Blacks, Kirwan appears on the list of the highest try scorers in Rugby Union history....

Jo Maso

Jo Maso is a former rugby union and rugby league footballer who played centre for Narbonne, Toulonnais, Perpignan and France, gaining 25 caps. His alternative position was fly-half...

Syd Millar

Sydney "Syd" Millar, CBE, is the outgoing chairman of the International Rugby Board. He was born in Ballymena and previously played for Ballymena RFC and represented Ireland in the pack, winning 37 caps as a prop. In addition, he played 9 times for the British and Irish Lions...

2005 Inductees

Fred Allen

Fred Allen (rugby player)

Sir Frederick "Fred" Richard Allen, KNZM, OBE is a former captain and coach of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby union team. The All Blacks won all 14 of the test matches they played under his coaching....

Phil Bennett

Phillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...

André Boniface

André Boniface is a former international rugby union player for France. His usual position was either on the wing or in the centres. His Test career for France, 1954 through to 1966, included 48 caps and 44 points. Boniface was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2005...

Naas Botha

John Eales

John Eales AM is an Australian former rugby union player and the most successful captain in the history of Australian rugby.-Early life:...

Grant Fox

Grant James Fox is a former rugby union player from New Zealand. He was born in New Plymouth. He attended Auckland Grammar school....

Dave Gallaher

David "Dave" Gallaher was a New Zealand rugby union footballer, best known as the captain of "The Originals", the first New Zealand national rugby union team to be known as the All Blacks....

Martin Johnson

Ian McGeechan

Sir Ian Robert McGeechan OBE is a Scottish former rugby union player and coach. His nickname is "Geech".-Playing career:...

Gwyn Nicholls

Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....

Francois Pienaar

Jacobus Francois Pienaar is a South African former rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for leading South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup...

Keith Wood

Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood and educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick is a former international rugby union footballer who played hooker for Ireland, the Lions, Garryowen, Harlequins and Munster....

2007 Inductees

Ieuan Evans

Ieuan Evans is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for Wales. He is regarded as one of the best Welsh wingers of all time, despite playing through a disappointing era of Welsh rugby. A prolific try scorer at International level, Evans is listed 19th in the world on the all-time...

Danie Gerber

Danie Gerber is a former South African rugby union player, who played for South Africa between 1980 and 1992. Playing mainly at centre, he won only 24 caps for South Africa despite playing internationally for 12 years because of South Africa's sporting isolation caused by apartheid...

Tom Kiernan

Thomas Joseph Kiernan is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He won 54 caps for Ireland as a full-back between 1960 and 1973 and captained his country 24 times. At the time of his retirement he was Ireland's most-capped player, most experienced captain and record scorer in...

Jason Leonard

Jason Leonard OBE , also known as "The Fun Bus", is an English former rugby union prop forward who held the world record for winning the most international caps until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan...

Jonah Lomu

Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...

Terry McLean (journalist)

Graham Mourie

Graham Neil Kenneth Mourie is a former New Zealand All Black flanker and coach of the Hurricanes. He was one of the great All Black Captains in the late 70s and early 80s...

Bennie Osler

Benjamin Louwrens Osler was a rugby union footballer who played internationally for South Africa. Osler played mainly at fly-half for both South Africa, and his provincial team of Western Province....

Fergus Slattery

John Fergus Slattery is a former rugby union player who represented Ireland. He played schools rugby for Blackrock College and then moved on to play senior rugby for UCD, before earning a call up to the Ireland team in 1970. During his career Slattery earned 61 caps, 18 as captain, and scored 3...

Joost van der Westhuizen

Joost van der Westhuizen is a former South African rugby union footballer who was the Springboks' first choice scrum-half in the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s. He was capped 89 times for the Springboks and scored 38 tries...

Inductees per nation

Nation	Number of Inductees
	15
	10
	9
	8
	7
	6
	5
	4
	1

External links

Official webpage
Joining the Legends an added Bonus for Wood - Telegraph, November 17, 2005

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