Northern | US

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

Fergus Slattery of Ireland during the Autumn International rugby match between Ireland and Australia at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. (Photo By Ray McManus/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Comments
1 Comment

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

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

VIDEO

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.”

ADVERTISEMENT

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.


Relive the drama, intensity, and history — all the iconic British & Irish Lions documentaries from 2001-2021, available now on RugbyPass TV.


ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
u
unknown 1 hr ago

One of the all-time greats!! RIP!

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

Comments on RugbyPass

Close Panel
Close Panel

Edition & Time Zone

{{current.name}}
Set time zone automatically
{{selectedTimezoneTitle}} (auto)
Choose a different time zone
Close Panel

Editions

Close Panel

Change Time Zone

Close
ADVERTISEMENT
Copied to clipboard

Share Article close