Ronnie Dawson (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Alfred Ronald "Ronnie" Dawson (born 5 June 1932 in Dublin, Ireland) played hooker for Ireland
and was captain of the British Lions
rugby union
team on their 1959 tour to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Ronnie was educated in St. Andrew's College
in Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology
Bolton Street (where he qualified as an Architect
and he worked as such for the Bank of Ireland
for most of his professional career, eventually retiring as Chief Architect and Head of their Premises Division).
He joined Wanderers F.C. in August 1950 and played his club rugby on the 1st XV between 1950–1965, was Captain for the 1955-'56 season and Coach/Selector from 1964-1968. He was a member of the administrative Executive Committee from 1962 until he retired in 1994 (being President of the Club for the 1991-'92 season).
Ronnie played provincial rugby 28 times for Leinster
between 1958-1964 (during which he Captained the side), was President during the 1972-'73 season and was an administrator on the Leinster Branch Executive Committee from May 1965 until he retired in 1986.
He won the first of his 27 Irish
caps in 1958 (a match in which Ireland beat Australia), was Captain of the side on 11 occasions between 1958-'62 (including Captaining the 1961 Irish tour to South Africa
) and subsequently retired from International rugby in 1965.
Ronnie was a keen member of the Barbarians
, playing 22 times on their Easter Tour and other matches between 1956-1965 (including the 1957 tour to South Africa). He selected and played for the Barbarians against several incoming touring teams, including Australia (1958), South Africa (1961 - being Captain of the only team to beat the 1961 Springboks) and New Zealand (1964). He was also a member of the Barbarians Committee for a number of years.
He was Captain of the British Lions
on their 1959 tour to Australia, New Zealand and Canada
- playing in 6 Tests as Captain, he established a Lions record (which was subsequently equalled by Martin Johnson). He was unavailable as a player for the 1962 Lions tour to South Africa, however was Assistant Manager/Coach in 1968 for the Lions tour to South Africa
and was also a Lions selector.
Following his retirement from playing rugby union at the highest level, Ronnie was instrumental in developing coaching of the game in Ireland, setting up coaching structures and was the first Irish coach - a role he undertook between 1969-1972 (including Coach to the 1970 Irish tour to Argentina
). He was an International Selector from 1968-1972.
Ronnie also moved into administration and was elected to the Irish Rugby Football Union
Executive Committee in June 1970 and was President of the IRFU for the 1989-'90 season (prior to his retirement from the IRFU Committee in 1994). He is presently a Trustee of the IRFU.
He was an Irish representative on the (as it was then) Five Nations
Committee and Committee of Home Unions from 1973 to 1994 - during this period he was elected to many roles, such as Chairman of Tours Committee, Chairman of Committee of Home Unions and Five Nations Committee. He was also an Irish representative on the International Rugby Football Board
from 1974 to 1994 (being Chairman in 1983), was a member of the Rugby World Cup
Organising Committee (for the first RWC tournament
) in 1987 and the International Rugby Settlement (RWC Ltd.) between 1990-'94.
His lifetime contribution to the game of rugby union was acknowledged in 2004, when he was awarded the International Rugby Board
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service.
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and was captain of the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
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...
team on their 1959 tour to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Ronnie was educated in St. Andrew's College
St. Andrew's College, Dublin
St. Andrew's College - is a co-educational inter-denominational, international day school, founded in 1894 by members of the Presbyterian community, and now located in Booterstown, Dublin, Ireland.St...
in Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology was established officially in 1992 under the but had been previously set up in 1978 on an ad-hoc basis. The institution can trace its origins back to 1887 with the establishment of various technical institutions in Dublin, Ireland...
Bolton Street (where he qualified as an Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and he worked as such for the Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...
for most of his professional career, eventually retiring as Chief Architect and Head of their Premises Division).
He joined Wanderers F.C. in August 1950 and played his club rugby on the 1st XV between 1950–1965, was Captain for the 1955-'56 season and Coach/Selector from 1964-1968. He was a member of the administrative Executive Committee from 1962 until he retired in 1994 (being President of the Club for the 1991-'92 season).
Ronnie played provincial rugby 28 times for Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
between 1958-1964 (during which he Captained the side), was President during the 1972-'73 season and was an administrator on the Leinster Branch Executive Committee from May 1965 until he retired in 1986.
He won the first of his 27 Irish
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
caps in 1958 (a match in which Ireland beat Australia), was Captain of the side on 11 occasions between 1958-'62 (including Captaining the 1961 Irish tour to South Africa
1961 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa
1961 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa. Between 1906 and 1960 South Africa had played Ireland on five occasions. However all of these games had been played in Ireland. In 1960 South Africa had beaten Ireland 8-3 at Lansdowne Road. The following year Ireland embarked on their first tour of...
) and subsequently retired from International rugby in 1965.
Ronnie was a keen member of the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
, playing 22 times on their Easter Tour and other matches between 1956-1965 (including the 1957 tour to South Africa). He selected and played for the Barbarians against several incoming touring teams, including Australia (1958), South Africa (1961 - being Captain of the only team to beat the 1961 Springboks) and New Zealand (1964). He was also a member of the Barbarians Committee for a number of years.
He was Captain of the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on their 1959 tour to Australia, New Zealand and Canada
1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
In 1959 the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey.Although New Zealand...
- playing in 6 Tests as Captain, he established a Lions record (which was subsequently equalled by Martin Johnson). He was unavailable as a player for the 1962 Lions tour to South Africa, however was Assistant Manager/Coach in 1968 for the Lions tour to South Africa
1968 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1968 the British Lions toured South Africa. The tour was not success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the test series against South Africa by three matches to nil, with the other match drawn. The Lions won 15 of their 16 non-international matches, losing only to Transvaal...
and was also a Lions selector.
Following his retirement from playing rugby union at the highest level, Ronnie was instrumental in developing coaching of the game in Ireland, setting up coaching structures and was the first Irish coach - a role he undertook between 1969-1972 (including Coach to the 1970 Irish tour to Argentina
1970 Ireland rugby union tour of Argentina
-Matches:-Touring party:*Manager: E. Patterson*Assistant Manager: Ronnie Dawson*Captain: Tom Kiernan-Backs:-Forwards:...
). He was an International Selector from 1968-1972.
Ronnie also moved into administration and was elected to the Irish Rugby Football Union
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
Executive Committee in June 1970 and was President of the IRFU for the 1989-'90 season (prior to his retirement from the IRFU Committee in 1994). He is presently a Trustee of the IRFU.
He was an Irish representative on the (as it was then) Five Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
Committee and Committee of Home Unions from 1973 to 1994 - during this period he was elected to many roles, such as Chairman of Tours Committee, Chairman of Committee of Home Unions and Five Nations Committee. He was also an Irish representative on the International Rugby Football Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
from 1974 to 1994 (being Chairman in 1983), was a member of the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
Organising Committee (for the first RWC tournament
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
) in 1987 and the International Rugby Settlement (RWC Ltd.) between 1990-'94.
His lifetime contribution to the game of rugby union was acknowledged in 2004, when he was awarded the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service.
External links
- Scrum.com rugby statistics site
- http://www.irb.com/IRBWeb/SearchClickHandler.aspx?LinkClick=%2fcgi-bin%2fMsmGo.exe%3fgrab_id%3d0%26page_id%3d23819%26query%3dronnie%2520dawson%26hiword%3dDAWSONS%2520dawson%2520ronnie%2520 IRB 2004 Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service