Willie Duggan

Who is Willie Duggan?

William Patrick Duggan is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He won 41 Irish Caps, the first in 1975 and finished his international career in 1984 as captain. He toured New Zealand in 1977 with the British and Irish Lions, and at the time played club rugby for Blackrock College RFC. Willie was widely regarded as one of the hard men of world rugby rugby at the time and was one of the few players who garnered respect from the southern hemisphere players. He was famed for not enjoying training and was a heavy smoker. This attitude was entirely different on the pitch as Willie was widely regarded as the premier No. 8 in Europe at the time which was reflected in his being picked for the Irish and British lions in 1977. In January 1977, he became, along with Wales' Geoff Wheel, the first player to be sent off in a Five Nations match. According to fellow player Moss Keane, Duggan did not consider himself to have been sent off, simply being asked by the referee "would he mind leaving the field", to which he replied "Sure not at all. I was buggered anyway".

On one occasion was smoking a cigarette as he ran onto the field to play against France, passing the cigarette to referee Allan Hosie, who was pictured holding the cigarette in the television coverage. He was once told by a coach that if he gave up the smokes he would be faster around the pitch. Typical of Willie's wit he replied "but then I would spend most of the match offside".