player's name

evysiren

what is the name of this Irish player next to Skrela Ireland v France 1975 thanks

patmac

Looks like the legend Willie Duggan.
http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=6060

patmac

From his wicki page
William Patrick Duggan (born 12 March 1950) is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He won 42 Irish Caps, the first in 1975 and finished his international career in 1984 as captain. He toured New Zealand in 1977 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Blackrock College RFC. Willie was widely regarded as one of the hard men of world rugby rugby at the time and was one of the few players who garnered respect from the southern hemisphere players. He was famed for not enjoying training and was a heavy smoker. This attitude was entirely different on the pitch as Willie was widely regarded as the premier No. 8 in Europe at the time which was reflected in his being picked for the Irish and British lions in 1977. Willie was once told by a coach that if he gave up the smokes he would be faster around the pitch. Typical of Willie's wit he replied " but then i would spend most of the match offside" Willie lives and works in Kilkenny but is still a huge supporter of the game and is one of the most revered and loved rugby players in the history of the Irish game.


I heard a story when in an era when half time team talks were going on in the centre of the pitch and Willie ignoring them and going over to the sidelines and getting a smoke from the crowd. Had his own granite works which accounted for his strength at the time.

FridaysWell

patmac wrote: »

I heard a story when in an era when half time team talks were going on in the centre of the pitch and Willie ignoring them and going over to the sidelines and getting a smoke from the crowd. Had his own granite works which accounted for his strength at the time.

Sounds like some big epic tale or something! Whatever happend to these legends of men? Why can't Heaslip and Ferris have stories about them like 'Used to lumberjack trees alone' or 'this fella is as hard as nails he was in the French Foreign legion'. I heard Kearney wrestled lions, hippos and antelope whne he was in South Africa with the Lions....

durkadurka

They're boring old gym monkeys now.... I heard a story about the Claw playing handball against the wailing wall in jerusalem or something. Probably complete bollix.

Hippo

Jeez give me the boring gym monkeys every time, I spent my formative years watching 'legends of the game' lose match after match!