'Benny, I am sorry, boy, to be standing here in front of you'
Phil Bennett was described as “a great gentleman and a great rugby player” as giants of the sport from Wales and beyond united in tribute to him at a remembrance service in Llanelli.
Bennett, who died earlier this month after a long illness at the age of 73, captained Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
A genial fly-half, whose staggering side-stepping ability brought the dance floor to the rugby field, also played more than 400 times for Llanelli RFC.
He won 29 Wales caps between 1969 and 1978, winning two Five Nations Grand Slams and three Triple Crowns, skippered the Lions to New Zealand in 1977 and was part of the Lions’ Test series-winning tour of South Africa three years earlier.
He also started the move, playing for the Barbarians against New Zealand in 1973, that delivered a length-of-the-field score and is often described as rugby union’s greatest try.
Barely three miles from where Bennett helped Llanelli famously beat New Zealand 9-3 at Stradey Park 50 years ago, family, friends, players past and present, coaches and rugby supporters gathered at Parc y Scarlets to honour his legacy.
Eulogies were given by Delme Thomas – ex-Wales skipper, three-time Lions tourist and captain when Llanelli toppled the All Blacks – and journalist Graham Thomas, who ghosted more than 1,000 national newspaper columns with Bennett during a 25-year association.
The funeral cortege arrived to the accompaniment of Rod Stewart’s ‘Sailing’ with a star-studded, 40-strong guard of honour reflecting Bennett’s stellar career, while floral tributes included one simply spelt out as “Benny,” one from the Lions and another designed as the figure 10 as Bennett’s coffin was positioned on the halfway line.
Members of the revered 1972 Scarlets team paying their respects included Bennett’s half-back partner against New Zealand Chico Hopkins, try-scorer Roy Bergiers, prop Barry Llewellyn and flanker Tommy David.
They were joined by Bennett’s former Wales team-mates Sir Gareth Edwards and Gerald Davies, the Welsh Rugby Union president, ex-Wales and Llanelli captain Ieuan Evans, plus former Lions forward and 1997 Lions tour manager Fran Cotton.
And current Scarlets squad representatives featured the likes of Wales internationals Jonathan Davies, Ken Owens, Scott Williams and Leigh Halfpenny, in addition to head coach Dwayne Peel.
Members of the public – young and old, many wearing Wales and Scarlets shirts – began arriving more than an hour before the service, with highlights of Bennett’s finest moments, including many of his spectacular tries, being shown on the stadium’s big screen.
There was a filmed tribute from New Zealand’s 1972 captain Ian Fitzpatrick, who said: “With his talent, he was something else. He had the skills and ability to produce greatness. We were hugely saddened to hear of his passing.”
Like Fitzpatrick, Delme Thomas spoke from the heart, before pausing at Bennett’s coffin, paying a final moving tribute and receiving a standing ovation as he made his way back to the South Stand.
“It is very hard to stand here and explain how I feel about this little man,” Thomas, 79, said. “What can you say about the greatest player I’ve ever seen play the game?
“That’s a big thing to say because I’ve played with some great players – a lot of them are sat in the stands today – but Phil was something special, a great gentleman and a great rugby player.
“Our outside-half in 1971 was the great Barry John. He was such a great player that they called him ‘King John’.
“When he came back after the Lions tour in 1971 he dropped a bombshell and announced his retirement. Most people thought that was the end of Welsh rugby, but up stepped the boy from Felinfoel (Bennett), and he never looked back.
“Who can forget that day at Stradey Park in 1972. I was lucky enough to play in that game, and from that day forward Phil stamped his authority on Welsh rugby. I had never seen a performance like it. After that day, everyone knew who Phil Bennett was.
“A wonderful friend, ‘Benny’, I am sorry, boy, to be standing here in front of you.
“I refuse to say goodbye. As a Christian, I hope we will meet again. God bless you.”
Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer (Bread of Heaven) and the Welsh folk song Yma O Hyd received rousing renditions, before the cortege left to John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’.
The remembrance service was followed by a funeral service at Holy Trinity Church in nearby Felinfoel, Bennett’s home village where a statue was unveiled in his honour just two months ago.
Bennett is survived by his wife Pat and sons Steven and James.
Comments on RugbyPass
*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
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1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to comments