Rugby Mourns Passing of Legends Slattery and Spurrell

The Passing of Rugby Titans

Rugby union has recently lost two titans who absolutely belong in the special category of players who exemplify what unquenchable warrior spirit looks like. Fergus Slattery and Roger Spurrell have passed away at 77 and 71 respectively, leaving behind legacies that continue to inspire players and fans alike. Their deaths mark the end of an era for rugby, reminding us of the character and commitment that defined the sport during their playing days.

The Legacy of Fergus Slattery

Give or take Willie John McBride, there was no more renowned Irish international forward in the 1970s than "Slattery of Ireland," to borrow from Cliff Morgan's famous commentary of the 1973 Barbarians v New Zealand game in Cardiff. On the 1974 British & Irish Lions tour he was at the peak of his powers on the hard fields of South Africa, setting new standards for fit, fast-paced and forthright wing forwards everywhere. As the suitably warm tribute issued by Blackrock College put it: "He played with ferocity and grace but without ego or theatre … Fergus never sought admiration but earned it universally."

Among his many accomplishments, Slattery was a highly amusing public speaker and did a huge amount of unselfish work for charity. Tragically, he suffered from dementia in the latter years of his life, a particularly cruel condition for such a popular, articulate man. It is hard to sidestep the tragic conclusion that the game he loved ultimately failed to love him back.

The Bath Rugby Icon: Roger Spurrell

Spurrell, for some bizarre reason, never won an England cap but the example he set as Bath's unflinching captain during their glory years remains indelible. His former teammate Jeremy Guscott described him in the Rugby Paper as "a true Bath rugby icon" and the former paratrooper was renowned as one of the hardest players in a notable tough Bath pack who underpinned the club's consistent success. The journalist Jon Newcombe described the curly blond-haired Spurrell as "the West Country's answer to Jean-Pierre Rives" and his impact on youthful imaginations was similarly vivid.

Spurrell was a Cornishman but poured his heart and soul into Bath and was universally respected as a result. In his early Bath years, he combined his rugby with working as a shepherd in the Mendip Hills. Subsequently he ran a well-known nightclub in what used to be the public conveniences near the river Avon in Bath. A ferocious opponent on the field – his training night duels with his Bath back-row rival Andy Robinson were legendary – he could be extremely obliging off it.

The Character of Rugby

People talk a lot about character in sport without always agreeing on a precise definition. Hanging in there when times get tough? Arguably that is a pre-requisite across top-level competition. The ability to keep cool, calm and collected under the most extreme pressure? Valuable, certainly, but not every cherished champion fits that unflappable mould.

Perhaps a more accurate gauge is how much certain individuals are missed once they are gone. Slattery and Spurrell were men with a bit about them off the field. While other players in the amateur era beavered away at their desks on Monday mornings, Spurrell would happily take calls from your correspondent on condition the phone didn't ring too early in the morning after a busy club night.

Modern Reflections of Rugby Spirit

There is another perfect contemporary example in Exeter's crucial 32-12 win over Saracens at the weekend. Not everyone perceives Henry Slade as a warrior, possibly because he has the ability to make the game look deceptively simple. They overlook his continuing defiance of Type 1 diabetes and the 74 caps he has earned in England's midfield, hardly the sign of a dilettante. And who was that, head already bandaged to protect a tender cauliflower ear, somehow scrambling back to make an almost impossible try-saving tackle on Rotimi Segun? In addition to quietly contributing 17 points? When they talk rugby in Devon decades from now, Slade will still be among the region's all-time favourite sons.

The Enduring Impact of Rugby Legends

With the final knockout stages of the Prem and the United Rugby Championship looming, it may just be that such old-fashioned commitment to a cherished cause makes the crucial difference this month. Many assumed months ago, for instance, that Bath and Northampton would contest the Prem final, but try selling that complacent theory now to the re-energised players of Exeter or Leicester.

Like wartime Spitfire pilots, Slattery and Spurrell sensed opportunity where others saw only risk. Both have now gone to the great clubhouse in the sky but their inspiring example will live on. As Slattery once said: "I would much rather play with somebody who has very little talent but total commitment rather than the reverse." This philosophy continues to define the spirit of rugby long after their playing days have ended.