consent Irish Independent Irish News Shoutout: Syd Millar, the Irish rugby great who coached the Lions to an
unbeaten tour of South Africa in 1974 Syd Millar also successfully managed the
organization of two Rugby World Cups. Photo: PA Syd Millar also successfully
managed the organization of two Rugby World Cups. Photo: PA Telegraph.co.uk
Today at 03:30 Syd Millar, who has died aged 89, played an influential role in
rugby union for more than 50 years as a player, coach and senior manager. As a
recruiting forward, he made 37 appearances for Ireland between 1958
and 1970 and nine times for the British
and Irish Lions on three tours in the 1950s and 1960s, before coaching the
Lions on their winless tour of South Africa in 1974 He led Ireland to the 1987
World Cup before serving as President of
the International Rugby Board (IRB) from 2003 to 2007, when he managed to
oversee the organization of two World Cups. Millar’s coaching of the 1974 Lions,
who won 21 of 22 matches and won the test series 3–0, was the highest
achievement in rugby union. Millar was a master of attacking tactics and in 1974
he put together one of the best groups to visit South Africa, including Bobby Windsor, Fran Cotton, Roger Uttley,
Gordon Brown, Ian McLauchlan and Fergus Slattery. . As well as being an excellent coach, Millar had great
leadership skills and won the loyalty of his players on that often brutal tour. His support for their efforts even extended
to the tacit sanction of the ’99 call’, whereby every member of the South African attacking team could shout ’99’,
knowing that his team-mates were about to hit the opposition. the player closest to
them. “Syd knew when to work and he knew when to play,” said his Lions
captain and fellow Ulsterman Willie John McBride. “After the game we were able to really relax and then when the game
days came around the switch went back and we got back to winning.” John
Sydney Millar was born on 23 May 1934 in Ballymena, Co Antrim, to James, a butcher, and his wife Amy (née Law). He went to Ballymena Academy and played
for Ballymena RFC, where he switched from the schoolboy position to wide, operating in both tight and wide
positions. He remained at Ballymena throughout his playing career and also
represented Ulster for 14 years. Millar’s debut for Ireland came against France in
the Five Nations Championship in Paris in 1958. During the year, and despite
playing only five matches for Ireland, he was selected for the Lions’ tour of
Australia and New Zealand in 1959 and scored convincing victories in the two
Tests against Australia. In 1970, he played his last game for Ireland aged 35 in a 14–0 win against Wales at
Lansdowne Road. He then coached Ireland from 1973 to 1975, helping them
to the Five Nations title in 1974, before joining the Lions on that successful tour of South Africa. By 1987, Millar was
manager of Ireland at the first World Cup, where his team reached the
quarter-finals before being knocked out by Australia. He became President of the IRFU in 1995 and represented the body
on the IRB, of which he was appointed Vice-President in 2002. As president of
the IRB, he was responsible for two World Cups, in Australia in 2003 and in
France in 2007, after which he retired. He was inducted into the International
Rugby Hall of Fame in 2009. His other accolades included the Freedom of
Ballymena in 2004 and being named a
member of the Legion d’Honneur by the French government in 2007. Millar was
predeceased by his wife, Enid. She is survived by their daughter and two sons.
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