Former Wales international Geoff Wheel has passed away at the age of 73, it has been announced.
Wheel was an iconic figure of the 1970s and early 1980s for Welsh rugby, winning 32 caps for his country, winning three Triple Crowns and two Grand Slams along the way.
The news was confirmed by his former club, Swansea RFC, with a statement claiming that his motor neurone disease had ‘not prevented him attending matches’ until this season.
In a touching message to one of their great former players, Swansea stated that Wheel passed away in the early hours of Boxing Day, on Thursday December 26.
‘Geoff was a player and man loved and respected by all who knew him,’ a Swansea RFC statement read.
‘A fearsome competitor on the field of play, Geoff was a mild mannered, shy and thoughtful person in private,committed to the club he served from 1970 to 1983, twice as captain, as a player and for many years on the All Whites Former Players Association (AWFPA) committee, being at the time of his passing the President of the AWFPA.’
Welsh rugby legend Geoff Wheel (third right, red shirt) has passed away at the age of 73
Wheel (competing at lineout) was part of two Grand Slam winning Welsh sides, and also won four Triple Crowns
The statement added: ‘Geoff’s two seasons as captain of Swansea marked a hugely successful period for the club. In 1979-80 they won the Western Mail Championship, Sunday Telegraph Anglo-Welsh Championship, Daily Mail Anglo-Welsh Championship, Sunday Telegraph Team of the Season and were WRU National Sevens winners.
‘In the following season under Geoff’s captaincy Swansea retained the Sunday Telegraph title and were also winners of the Whitbread Merit Table.
‘Typically, Geoff remained the modest man he always had been and the whole team were the beneficiaries of this approach.’
With Wales, Wheel once went 15 games unbeaten between January 1975 and March 1978.
The former lock in fact holds the dubious record – along with Ireland’s Willie Duggan – as being the first player sent off in a Five Nations match, with both players given their marching orders at the same time.
Wheel spoke warmly of Duggan and, according to Swansea RFC, even left the field shaking hands with his Irish counterpart.
Another on-field clash made for an iconic photo, with Wheel at loggerheads with England’s Bill Beaumont.
However, far from bitter rivals, the two quickly shared a drink after the game, and remained on good terms, Wheel considering the image to not fully encapsulate the spirit with which the game was played.
Wheel (fourth right, back row) won three Five Nations titles during his eight years of national service
He also was the first ever Welshman to be sent off in an international fixture, and in addition to his Grand Slams and Triple Crowns, Wheel was part of Welsh sides that three times won the Five Nations title, during something of a ‘golden age’.
His partnership in the engine room of the Welsh pack with Aberavon’s Allan Martin was particularly fruitful and crucial to their side’s period of success.
Wheel – known affectionately as Gaffa – would go on to play 27 times together with Martin on the international stage.
Swansea RFC president Stan Addicott said: ‘Geoff was respected and much loved by all at Swansea Rugby Club. I had the privilege to be his club coach for seven years from the mid-seventies to mid-eighties.
‘His wholehearted, fiery, yet engaging and humorous nature endeared him to his players, while he often shared his musical talent on the accordion and ukulele post matches with club supporters.
‘He was certainly one of the great characters of his time in welsh rugby and will be greatly missed as a family man, player and friend to many people.’
Swansea RFC’s next match will see a minute’s silence held on December 28th, ahead of the clash with Aberavon.
