Cefin Campbell MS, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales, has led tributes in the Senedd for the former Llanelli, Wales and British Lions rugby great, Phil Bennett, who died on Sunday 12 June, aged 73.
Phil Bennett was born in Felinfoel, Llanelli in 1948, and despite warnings from doctors at a young age that he would never have the physique to play rugby, he went on to play 413 times for Llanelli RFC – making his debut as an 18-year-old to his final appearance in 1981. He captained the side for six years of his 15-year spell and starred in the legendary 9-3 victory against New Zealand in 1972.
He played on the international stage for Wales 29 times between 1969 and 1978, winning three Triple Crowns and two Five Nations Grand Slams. Bennett also went on to represent the British and Irish Lions – starring in the Lions’ historic unbeaten tour of South Africa in 1974 – and made 20 appearances for the Barbarians, including starting the famous Gareth Edwards try against the All Blacks in 1973.
Following his retirement, Bennett went on to work as a pundit for the BBC, as well as writing regular columns for the South Wales Evening Post and Daily Mirror. He was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and World Rugby’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
Speaking in the Senedd, Cefin Campbell, a Scarlets season ticket holder, paid tribute to Phil Bennett’s career and humble personality, concluding:
“Phil was one of the best ever rugby players to represent Wales, the Lions and the Barbarians. For those of us who had the privilege of seeing him play in the red shirt of Llanelli or Wales, it was a feast for the eyes. The way that Benny ran and sidestepped was described as poetry in motion.
Phil Bennett scored some of the best tries ever, winning three triple crowns and two five nations grand slam championships in the red shirt of Wales. Despite his huge success on the pitch, he was a very modest person, and he was true to his square mile until the very end. Thank you, Phil, for your vast contribution to the sport, to Llanelli, and to Wales, and for leaving such unique memories of a player that we will never see the like of again.”
