Ronnie Dawson (rugby player)

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A. R. "Ronnie" Dawson (born June 5, 1932 in Dublin, Ireland) played hooker for Ireland and was Captain of the British and Irish Lions rugby team on their 1959 tour to Australia and New Zealand.

Ronnie was educated in St. Andrew's College in Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology Bolton Street (where he qualified as an Architect and worked as such for the Bank of Ireland for most of his professional career) and played club rugby for Wanderers F.C. He played 28 times for Leinster between 1958 and 1964 (during which he Captained the side) and won the first of his 27 Irish caps in 1958 (against Australia, a game which Ireland won) - subsequently Captaining the side on 11 occasions and retiring from International rugby in 1964. He Captained the British and Irish Lions on their tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1959 (playing in 6 Tests) and was Assistant Manager in 1968 for the Lions tour to South Africa.

Following his retirement from playing rugby at the highest level, Ronnie was instrumental in developing coaching of the game in Ireland, setting up coaching structures and was the first Irish coach in 1971. Ronnie also moved into administration and was the Irish representative on the International Rugby Board for many years. He was President of Wanderers F.C. and of the Irish Rugby Football Union prior to his retirement from administration in 1990. He is presently a Trustee of the I.R.F.U.

His lifetime contribution to the game of Rugby Union was acknowledged in 2004, when he was awarded the International Rugby Board Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service.