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Philip Bennett (24 October 1948 – 12 June 2022) was a Welsh rugby union player who played as a fly-half for Llanelli RFC and the Wales national team. He began his career in 1966, and a year later he had taken over from Barry John as Llanelli's first-choice fly-half. He made 414 appearances for the Scarlets over the course of a 15-year career he scored 131 tries, 43 drop goals, 293 pens and 523 conversions. He made his Wales debut in 1969, but it was not until John's retirement from rugby in 1972 that Bennett became a regular starter for his country. He led Wales to the Five Nations Championship title, including the Grand Slam in 1978, which culminated with his retirement from Wales duty.
Bennett also toured with the British Lions to South Africa in 1974, when they went unbeaten in 22 matches, and to New Zealand in 1977, and also made 20 appearances for the Barbarians between 1970 and 1980; he played a pivotal role in the win over New Zealand in 1973, considered by many to be the best rugby union match ever played.
Bennett was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2020, his try for Wales against Scotland in March 1977 was voted the greatest Wales try of all time.
He also played 20 times for the Barbarians, including against the All Blacks in January 1973. Early in the match, after a long New Zealand kick downfield, Bennett gathered the ball inside his own 25-metre area; he then beat four All Black players before passing the ball onto J. P. R. Williams. The Barbarians broke downfield, the move culminating in a try for Bennett's half-back partner Gareth Edwards. The try is often considered to be the greatest ever scored.
Bennett went on to become a member of the British and Irish Lions team on their tour to South Africa in 1974, in the team known as "The Invincibles". They went on to win 21 of their 22 matches and the Test series 3–0, with just one game drawn. Bennett scored 103 points, the most of anyone on the tour. He went on to tour again with the British and Irish Lions to New Zealand in 1977, but this time as captain, where he again was top scorer with 125 points. Bennett retired from international rugby union in 1978 having won 29 caps for Wales between 1969 and 1978. This included two Five Nations Championship Grand Slams and three Triple Crowns. He was awarded an OBE in the 1978 New Year Honours for services to rugby football.
As captain of Wales, Bennett gave a pre-game team talk before a Five Nations Championship match against England on 5 March 1977:
On 19 June 2022, ahead of their match against England, the Barbarians players stood in the shape of a number 10 in honour of Bennett, and a minute's applause was observed in the stadium. Barbarians fly-half Antoine Hastoy wore his name on the back of his shirt in red rather than grey.
On 12 June 2023, the Scarlets announced that they would face the Barbarians in a pre-season friendly, with the match being marked as the Phil Bennett Memorial Game. A donation made up of the ticket revenue of the game would be given to the Phil Bennett Foundation, a charity founded in memory of Bennett to help raise charitable funds to help disadvantaged, disabled or underprivileged individuals to participate in sport. The match was played on the 16 September 2023 and the Scarlets won the game 33–19.
"Look what these bastards have done to Wales. They've taken our coal, our water, our steel. They buy our homes and live in them for a fortnight every year. What have they given us? Absolutely nothing. We've been exploited, raped, controlled and punished by the English – and that's who you are playing this afternoon,"
Post-retirement
After retiring, Bennett became a commentator for BBC Wales on their radio and television rugby coverage. He also had regular newspaper columns for the South Wales Evening Post and Daily Mirror. Bennett published his autobiography in 2004. In 2007, he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame. He was named president of the Scarlets regional side in 2011. In 2015, he was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame (listed at the website of the Hall of Fame as inducted in 2014). In April 2022, a statue of Bennett by local wood carver Simon Hedger was unveiled in Bennett's home village of Felinfoel.
Death
Bennett died on 12 June 2022 after a long illness at the age of 73. The Guardian said that Bennett was "one of the greatest fly-halves to play for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. World Rugby, the world governing body for rugby union, said of Bennett that he was "one of the greatest to have ever played the game. Phil Bennett's legacy and his impact are undeniable." The Welsh Rugby Union said he was "a Welsh rugby legend in every sense and true gentleman".
Bibliography
(1980). 9780708307663, University of Wales Press. ISBN 9780708307663
External links
Categories: 1948 Births, 2022 Deaths, Anti-english Sentiment In Wales, Barbarian F.c. Players, British & Irish Lions Rugby Union Players From Wales, Crawshays Rfc Players, Felinfoel Rfc Players, World Rugby Hall Of Fame Inductees, Llanelli Rfc Players, Officers Of The Order Of The British Empire, Rugby Union Players From Carmarthenshire, Rugby Union Fly-halves, Wales International Rugby Union Players, Welsh Rugby Union Players, Wales Rugby Union Captains
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