Ex-Ireland captain and Lions back row Fergus Slattery has passed away

Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions back row Fergus Slattery has died at the age of 77, Blackrock College has announced.

Slattery played 61 times for Ireland and also captained the side in a distinguished career which also saw him represent Blackrock, University College Dublin, the Barbarians, Leinster, the French Barbarians and the Lions.

He was part of the Ireland team which secured Triple Crown success in 1982 and 1985 and a veteran of the Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa three years later.

Blackrock said in a statement on their official website: “Blackrock College RFC bows its head in gratitude, pride and sorrow as we remember one of our greatest sons.

“There are players who wear a jersey and there are players who define it. Fergus defined ours.

“To those who watched him play, he represented rugby at its purest.

“An open-side flanker of extraordinary intelligence, courage and relentless competitiveness, he always seemed to arrive first where the contest was fiercest.

“He played with ferocity and grace, but without ego or theatre.

“Modest in demeanour, yet monumental in achievement, Fergus never sought admiration, but earned it universally from team-mates, opponents, supporters and generations of young rugby players, who dreamed of following in his footsteps.”

Slattery, who after retirement combined running his commercial property business with working for the BBC, is survived by his wife Margo, children Nikki and Cameron and grandchildren.