Former England captain Pullin dies after long battle with illness

Charismatic and fearless England rugby union captain John Pullin dies aged 79 after a long battle with illness – and will be remembered for his illustrious, record-breaking career

• John Pullin ignored warnings during The Troubles to take England to Ireland
• The hooker captained his country to notable Test wins at home and abroad
• Pullin was a farmer by trade and also played in the victorious Lions tour of 1971
• He was recognised for a time as the world’s best hooker and was well respected

John Pullin’s unique place in rugby folklore dates back to a windy day in Dublin where they gave him a standing ovation before the match and another for what he said about losing it.

This very weekend 48 years ago, at the height of The Troubles which caused Scotland and Wales to abandon their fixtures in Ireland the previous season, the fearless West Country farmer ignored security risks and led his team out. The Irish crowd’s acclamation at Lansdowne Road delayed kick-off by several minutes.

After finishing a poor second, Pullin famously told guests at the post-match dinner: ‘We may not be much good, but at least we turn up.’

John Pullin was an inspirational leader who guided England to a number of notable successes

‘I will never forget the reaction,’ Willie John McBride, the revered Irish Lion, said years later. ‘Everyone stood up and roared their approval at that remark.’

Pullin, who died on Friday aged 79 after a long fight against illness, will be remembered for infinitely more than the Dublin bon mot.

He led England to Test victories over South Africa (18-9 in Johannesburg), New Zealand (16-10 in Auckland) and Australia (20-3 at Twickenham), all in a period from June 1972 to November 1973. No England captain had done that before and none would do it again until Martin Johnson almost 30 years later.

Pullin was equally at home on his farm in the West Country as he was playing on the front row

When the Lions won a series in New Zealand for the first time in 1971, Pullin, who played for Bristol, was the sole Englishman to play all four Tests. And when Gareth Edwards finished off the ‘Try of the Century’ for the Barbarians against the All Blacks at Cardiff in 1973, Pullin’s were the only non-Welsh hands in its creation.

And at the height of his 17-year career he was voted the best hooker in the world.

 Sir Clive’s tribute to a respected rugby pioneer

I was very sad to hear of the passing of John Pullin on Friday.

He will be remembered for a famously self-deprecating quip about England, when they played in Dublin during The Troubles in 1973 — but what a player and captain.

He was one of the true greats of English rugby, a pioneer in taking on the southern hemisphere giants in their backyards and had the respect of players all across the home unions and the rugby world.

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