Phil Bennett: Wales legend remembered as a genius and a gentleman

A genius on the field, a gentleman off it.

Wales legend Phil Bennett has been remembered as "a true one-off" by his former team-mates and opponents following his death at the age of 73.

The former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain was a key figure in Wales' golden era, helping them win two Five Nations Grand Slams in the 1970s.

Bennett also starred in the Lions' historic unbeaten tour of South Africa in 1974 and produced moments of magic in his 20 appearances for the Barbarians, including starting the famous Gareth Edwards' try against New Zealand in 1973.

World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont played under Bennett's captaincy on the 1977 Lions tour of New Zealand.

Beaumont also played three matches against Bennett in England and Wales matches between 1976 and 1978 and never won.

It included a famous rousing pre-match speech by Bennett ahead of the 1977 match in Cardiff where the captain laid down what England had taken from Wales.

"He was a remarkable person, a very humble and strong family man," Beaumont told BBC Radio Wales.

"He was also a great rugby player and leader. You don't become captain of the Lions if you are not a good leader.

"Everybody was sad to hear the news. He was a man who was held in great esteem by team-mates and opponents.

"He had a wicked sense of humour, a bit of a glint in his eye. It was a tough tour to New Zealand in 1977 and we did not win the series and I know that affected Phil because of the disappointment. Everybody left that tour thinking what a great guy he was.

"I used to play against him in the England games and I never was on a winning side against him.

"People talked about his sidestep and I never got within five metres of him. On the way back he would always have a little smile.

"He was such a mercurial player. People ask me who was the greatest half-backs I played against, it was Sir Gareth (Edwards) and Phil by a country mile, they were unbelievable.

"The game of rugby and whole world is a sadder place for the passing of Phil Bennett."

Welsh Rugby Union president Gerald Davies was an international team-mate of Bennett during the golden era of the 1970s.

"He was an exceptional player, a great joy to be with in company, full of good stories," Davies told BBC Radio Four.

"The game itself is made of big burly men, tough and hard, and yet here was a man who was half their size almost able to make them look clumsy and awkward and uncoordinated, while his eyes would look one way his body would be going in another direction.

"He had quick clever footwork which was absolutely essential to his game, but unless you have the courage, the daring, those things come to nought.

"Phil Bennett had the daring, the will to do things his way.

"His was a natural talent, not manufactured in any way at all and that was a great gift he had.

"He was the kind of player you wanted to buy a ticket to go and see him play because once he had the ball in his hands, anything was possible.

"That devastating side-step of his that was put to great effect in that game that is always being played, the Barbarians against the All Blacks.

"It was Gareth Edwards who scored at the end but the man who began it, was brave enough to try something in his own 22 metre line, was Phil Bennett, a several series of side-steps began the movement which led to that famous try."

Delme Thomas was Bennett's Llanelli captain when the club side famously defeated New Zealand in 1972 with the pair also playing for Wales and the Lions together.

Despite Bennett's glittering accolades on the international stage, Thomas says it was Llanelli's victory against the All Blacks 50 years ago that stood out.

"Of all the honours he had, we always go back to that being the best day," said Thomas.

"That's the day to me that he made a name for himself, from that day onwards he never looked back. I was fortunate to play 10 seasons with Phil at Llanelli.

"He was a brilliant player, one of the best I have played with and have never seen an outside-half like him. For me, he was the best 10 to play the game.

"He could read the game so well, you had confidence when Phil had the ball we were going to gain ground.

"He was a great all-rounder, his side-step and the speed, he was definitely a one-off.

"He was also a great friend and personality who got on with everybody. He was a great man, he never forgot who he was, his feet were always on the ground.

"It doesn't matter who went up to talk to Phil, he always had time to talk to everybody and that's how he came over so well."

Former Wales captain Jonathan Davies says Bennett played an important role in his development.

"I have known Benny for over 50 years," Davies told BBC Five Live.

"He had a sports shop in Llanelli and I went in just so I could see and meet him.

"When he retired I used to go down training with him and he just said come down and do some sprint training sessions.

"We became very good friends, we shared the same birthday. He was a legend of a player and an even better bloke.

"When you go to any sporting event and when a certain individual gets the ball in their hands, everybody comes off their seats and that's what Benny did.

"I was fortunate, I only lived over the mountain from Stradey Park where he graced the field for the Scarlets for so many years.

"I was there when Llanelli beat the All Blacks, I had the day off school, sat on a gymnasium bench behind the posts.

"Just to see him play and the way he handled the game, the way he beat players, the acceleration he had, he was just a delight to watch and he scored so many brilliant tries.

"Everyone knew who he was and how great he had been.

"Phil would just sit there in a room and you could have a pint with him, he talked to everyone. He was just a nice humble man and one of the greatest ever."

Wales' record try scorer Shane Williams admitted he modelled his game on Bennett by copying his sizzling side-step.

"I've got to apologise because I spent hours and days and months just ripping off Phil's side-step and using it as my own for my career," said Williams, who scored 58 Wales tries in 87 internationals between 2000 and 2011.

"That side-step that I used throughout my career was Phil's and I used to watch what he did and practice it and use it as my own. He was a huge inspiration.

"My mother gave me a video of 101 best tries and the likes of Phil Bennett, Gerald Davies and Jiffy (Jonathan Davies) actually were on that video and hugely inspired me because they were men that weren't the biggest but had the biggest heart.

"He was a true legend but just a gentleman, very humble in what he's achieved and who he was.

"I don't think he realised how important he was to the likes of myself growing up and help developing my game."

Wales, Scarlets and Lions hooker Ken Owens echoed the sentiments.

"He was just a great man, I was lucky enough to spend time in his and his family's company," said Owens.

"He is a legend of our game. He was a massive part of the community as well and still heavily involved with Felinfoel RFC and the village as well. He will be sadly missed, a legend and a gentleman to go with it.

"The younger generation probably don't remember his rugby ability much, they would have seen the old tapes but not see him play live.

"If you sat in a room with him and had a conversation you would never know what he has achieved in the game because he was the most humble man ever."

Family was always the most important thing to Bennett.

His niece, Carly Jones-John, paid tribute to her uncle on behalf of the family, saying he would be remembered as a giant both on and off the field.

"Our hearts are completely broken and we are beyond devastated to lose our beloved Philip," she said.

"Philip showered us with love, kindness, generosity and empathy.

"We will be truly lost without him and it is hard to envisage our family without him.

"He truly was the nicest, most humble man you could ever wish to meet.

"To us, he will always be unequivocally the greatest fly-half to have ever graced the rugby pitch."