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Sporting world mourns the death of Lions winger Peter Squires
By Jon Newcombe
The sporting world is mourning the death of former British and Irish Lions and England international, Peter Squires, who has passed away at the age of 74.
Ripon-born Squires played for Yorkshire in rugby and cricket, making 49 first-class appearances in the summer sport as a batter and superb cover fielder for the White Rose county.
However, it was in rugby where he reached the highest level of the game, winning 29 caps for England and one on the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in 1977.
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“Being a professional cricketer meant I missed selection for the 1974 Lions tour but I was one of only five Englishmen to tour New Zealand three years later,” he told this writer in 2015.
“I only played in one of the Tests, the first in Wellington which ended in a 16-12 defeat. It was disappointing because I don’t think I played badly. Hamstring problems curtailed my involvement thereafter.
“Even though I didn’t play as much as I’d hoped, it was a great tour to be involved with. I had a ‘horror’ room with Moss Keane and Willie Duggan, probably the biggest characters on tour who were both hardened drinkers. Willie tended to keep his own hours, and the only way you knew he was back in the room was because he was a chain smoker.
“It’s fair to say I got to know them better than most of my England team-mates. It was New Zealand’s wettest winter for 20-odd years but it was still great to see the country and the passion its people have for rugby.”
Known for his pace and footwork, Squires was a try-scorer when England beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time in 1973 and finished with six Test tries to his name.
England legend Roger Uttley was one of many who took to social media to pay tribute to Squires. “Very sad news indeed,” he wrote on Facebook. “A much valued teammate for the North & England. Not only a very good winger, (he was a mazy runner & deceptively quick), he had a great sense of humour and was universally respected by teammates & opponents alike.Top Man “Squiresy”, RIP.”
Yorkshire CCC General Manager of Cricket, Gavin Hamilton said: “I had the pleasure of working with Peter away from sport for over ten years. During that time, he was both a mentor and a very good friend.
“His stories of his sporting exploits were always hilarious and fascinating. For someone who achieved so much in an era when sport was as tough as it gets, Peter truly shone, and above all, he remained incredibly humble about his achievements.
“He will be sorely missed and I would like to pass on my sincere condolences to Gail and the rest of his family.”
His contribution to local rugby club Ripon RFC was immense, and he will be will be honoured with a minute’s applause before their game against Old Otliensians this Saturday.
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