Former England and Lions international Andy Ripley died on Thursday after a long battle with cancer
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Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Brendan Gallagher reflects on his personal relationship with former England and Lions international Andy Ripley who died on Thursday after a long battle with cancer.
"For many of us Andy Ripley has always been a hero figure. In the Seventies when England were often - but not always - rubbish his sheer athleticism seemed to offer real long term hope and a template for future players although he was often met with selectorial suspicion.
"He was the star man when England won the world sevens in 1973 and for a short while England worked a number of elaborate tapped penalty moves to unleash his running power. Whatever happened to tapped penalty moves by the way?
"It took the might of Welsh immortal Mervyn Davies to keep him out of the 1974 Lions Test team and although on pure rugby criteria you can't argue with that, you can't help thinking that Ripley would have caused carnage on the High Veldt against a poorish Boks side. He would have been a sensation in today's modern game, a player to fill large stadia and make you gasp."
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