Bill Beaumont

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William Bill Blackledge Beaumont CBE was born in Chorley Lancashire on the 9 March 1952. At the age of 17 he joined Fylde Rugby Club, Lancashire, in 1969 and stayed with the club until 1982 when injury forced his retirement. He won 34 caps for England, which was a record for a lock forward, and he captained England 21 times. At the age of 22 he took part in his first iinternational against Ireland in Dublin in 1975 as a late replacement for Roger Uttley. He toured Australia in 1975, Japan, Fiji and Tonga in 1979, and Argentina in 1981 with England. He played 15 times for the Barbarians, including the match against the All Blacks in 1978. In 1977 Bill Beaumont took part in the British Lions tour to New Zealand after being called up as a replacement for Nigel Horton, playing in the final three tests. In 1978 he became England captain against France in Paris. He was an inspiring captain of the North of England, whom he led to victory over the All Blacks in 1979, and also of England, who won their first Grand Slam for 23 years in 1980. Beaumont then captained the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa playing in 10 of the 18 matches. He was the first English captain of the Lions since Douglas Prentice in 1930.

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