View source for Phil Bennett

{{Short description|Welsh rugby union player (1948–2022)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
|        name = Phil Bennett<br />{{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}}
|       image = Phil-bennett.jpg 
|     caption = 
|  birth_name = Philip Bennett
|  birth_date = {{Birth date|1948|10|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Felinfoel]], [[Carmarthenshire]], Wales 
|  death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|6|12|1948|10|24|df=y}}
| death_place = Felinfoel, Carmarthenshire, Wales
|      height = {{convert|170|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|      weight = {{convert|72|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| ru_position = [[Fly-half (rugby union)|Fly-half]]
|  amatyears1 =           |amatteam1 = [[Felinfoel RFC]]             |amatapps1 =     |amatpoints1 = 
|  amatyears2 = 1966–1981 |amatteam2 = [[Llanelli RFC]]              |amatapps2 = 414 |amatpoints2 = 2,535
|  amatyears3 = 1970–1980 |amatteam3 = [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]] |amatapps3 = 20  |amatpoints3 = 181
|   repyears1 = 1969–1978 |repteam1 = [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]] |repcaps1 = 29 |reppoints1 = 166
|   repyears2 = 1974–1977 |repteam2 = [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]]   |repcaps2 = 8  |reppoints2 = 44
}}
'''Philip Bennett''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (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 rugby union team|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 [[Six Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] title, including the Grand Slam in 1978, which culminated with his retirement from Wales duty.

Bennett also toured with the [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]] to [[1974 British Lions tour to South Africa|South Africa in 1974]], when they went unbeaten in 22 matches, and to [[1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand|New Zealand in 1977]], and also made 20 appearances for the [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]] between 1970 and 1980; he played a pivotal role in the [[Barbarians vs New Zealand, 1973|win over New Zealand in 1973]], considered by many to be the best rugby union match ever played.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/15/rugby-union-gareth-edwards-barbarians-all-blacks-new-zealand-1973|title=My favourite game: Gareth Edwards and the Baa-Baas stun All Blacks |work=The Guardian |date=15 May 2020}}</ref>

Bennett was inducted into the [[World Rugby Hall of Fame]] in 2015.<ref name="World Rugby Hall of Fame 2015" /> In 2020, his try for Wales against [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] in March 1977 was voted the greatest Wales try of all time.<ref name=Wales3>{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/everyones-watching-official-best-wales-24209449 |website=walesonline.co.uk|title=Everyone's watching the official best Wales rugby try ever after Phil Bennett's death|date=13 June 2022|access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Scotland 9 FT Wales 18|url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/match?gameId=21022&league=180659|website=ESPN.co.uk |publisher=ESPN Sports Media |accessdate=15 June 2022 }}</ref>

==Early life==
Bennett was born in [[Felinfoel]], [[Carmarthenshire]], on 24 October 1948.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name=Guardian>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jun/12/phil-bennett-welsh-fly-half-dies-aged-73|work=[[The Guardian]]|title=Rugby union pays tribute to Phil Bennett, who has died aged 73|date=12 June 2022|access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> His father, Les, worked in a local steelworks in Llanelli until he had an industrial accident,<ref name=Independent>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/phil-bennett-obituary-twinkle-toed-wales-and-lions-out-half-who-created-famed-barbarians-try-41745485.html|publisher=[[Irish Independent]] |title=Phil Bennett obituary: Twinkle-toed Wales and Lions out-half who created famed Barbarians try|date=12 June 2022|access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> and his mother, Mary, worked at a local car-pressing plant.<ref name=Guardian/> Bennett was often ill as a child and his father was told that he would "never have the physique to play rugby".<ref name=Independent/> As a teenager, Bennett worked in the local steel works and was offered a trial by [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] as a [[Football player|footballer]].<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59951331|publisher=[[BBC]]|title=Obituary: Legendary Wales and British and Irish Lions fly-half Phil Bennett|date=12 June 2022|access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> 

==Rugby career==
===Club career===
Bennett began his rugby career with [[Felinfoel RFC]], before being picked up by nearby [[Llanelli RFC]].<ref name="WRU"/> He made his debut for the Scarlets at the age of 18,<ref name=Guardian/> starting at [[fly-half]] in an 18–9 defeat away to local rivals [[Swansea RFC]] on 12 November 1966.<ref name=Wales/><ref name=Guardian/> He made three more appearances in the 1966–67 season, all of them at [[Full-back (rugby union)|full-back]]. Following the departure of [[Barry John]] to [[Cardiff RFC]] at the end of the season, Bennett took over as Llanelli's first-choice fly-half, and in his first full season, they won the [[Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail]] Welsh Club Championship.<ref name="Llanelli">{{cite web|url=http://www.llanellirfc.co.uk/125-2 |website=llanellirfc.co.uk|title=PHistory|access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> They won that title twice more during Bennett's time at the club,<ref name="Llanelli"/> as well as reaching the final of the [[WRU Challenge Cup]] in each of its first five years, winning four in a row from 1973 to 1976.<ref name=Wales/> During the [[1972–73 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland, France and North America|1972–73 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain]], Bennett played in the Llanelli team that [[Llanelli RFC 9–3 New Zealand|beat the New Zealand "All Blacks" 9–3]].<ref name=Wales>{{cite news |title=Phil Bennett statement in full as Scarlets confirm hero's death and honour 'an icon' |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/phil-bennett-statement-full-scarlets-24208475 |website=walesonline.co.uk |date=12 June 2022 |access-date=14 June 2022 }}</ref> He retired from club rugby in 1981, having made 414 appearances for Llanelli and scored 2,535 points.<ref name=Guardian/><ref name=Wales/>

He also played 20 times for the [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]], including against the All Blacks in [[Barbarians vs New Zealand, 1973|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 (rugby union)|Gareth Edwards]]. The try is often considered to be the greatest ever scored.<ref>{{cite news |title=The greatest try ever scored? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/21205137 |website=BBC Sport |date=26 January 2013 |accessdate=14 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Andy |last=Bull |title=Barbarians 'greatest try' against All Blacks is relived 40 years on |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/jan/27/barbarians-all-blacks-greatest-try |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News & Media |date=27 January 2013 |accessdate=14 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Blackmore |title=The greatest try ever scored |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/rugbyunion/sport/story/60093.html |website=ESPN.co.uk |publisher=ESPN Sports Media |date=2 December 2010 |accessdate=14 June 2022 }}</ref>

===International career===
Bennett made his [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]] debut against [[France national rugby union team|France]] at [[Stade Yves-du-Manoir|Stade Colombes]] in Paris on 22 March 1969; he came off the bench to replace an injured [[Gerald Davies]], making him the first ever substitute for the Wales national team.<ref name="Smith397">Smith (1980), pg 397.</ref> Bennett's first start came on the right wing against South Africa in January 1970,<ref name="espn3">{{cite web |title=Phil Bennett Wales |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/7435.html |website=ESPN.co.uk |publisher=ESPN Sports Media |accessdate=15 June 2022 |archive-date=28 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928165224/http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/7435.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> a position he was not familiar with, but he was considered "too good to leave out";<ref>{{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Howard |year=2011 |title=Welsh International Matches 1881–2011 |location=Talybont, Ceredigion |publisher=Y Lolfa |page=119 |isbn=978-1-84771-356-8 }}</ref> he then moved to inside centre for Wales' first match of the [[1970 Five Nations Championship]] against [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]], before making his first appearance at fly-half in the match against France two months later.<ref name="espn3"/> He had to wait almost two years for his next appearance, coming on as a replacement for an injured [[J. P. R. Williams]] at full-back, but after Barry John's sudden retirement from rugby in 1972, Bennett took the number 10 jersey on a permanent basis.<ref name="WRU2">{{cite web|url=https://www.wru.wales/2020/04/on-this-day-phil-bennetts-first-start-at-no10/|publisher=[[Welsh Rugby Union]]|title=On This Day: Phil Bennett's First Start at No10|date=4 April 2020|access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref>

Bennett went on to become a member of the [[British and Irish Lions]] team on their [[1974 British Lions tour to South Africa|tour to South Africa in 1974]],<ref name=Guardian/> in the team known as "The Invincibles".<ref name=Guardian/> They went on to win 21 of their 22 matches and the Test series 3–0, with just one game drawn.<ref name=Guardian/> Bennett scored 103 points, the most of anyone on the tour.<ref name=Guardian/> He went on to tour again with the British and Irish Lions to [[1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand|New Zealand in 1977]], but this time as captain, where he again was top scorer with 125 points.<ref name=Guardian/> Bennett retired from international rugby union in 1978 having won 29 caps for Wales between 1969 and 1978. This included two [[Six Nations Championship|Five Nations Championship]] [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slams]] and three [[Triple Crown (rugby union)|Triple Crowns]].<ref name="Wales 2">{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/phil-bennett-dies-wales-rugby-23879757 |website=Wales Online|publisher=Media Wales|title=Wales rugby legend Phil Bennett dies aged 73|date=12 June 2022|access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref> He was awarded an [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] in the [[1978 New Year Honours]] for services to rugby football.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47418 |date=30 December 1977 |pages=10|supp=y}}</ref><ref name=Independent/>

As captain of Wales, Bennett gave a pre-game team talk before a Five Nations Championship match against [[England national rugby union team|England]] on [[History of rugby union matches between England and Wales|5 March 1977]]:<ref name="WRU"/>

<blockquote>
"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,"<ref name="WRU">{{cite web|url=https://www.wru.wales/2022/06/obituary-welsh-rugby-loses-twinkle-toed-benny/|publisher=[[Welsh Rugby Union]]|title=Obituary: Welsh rugby loses twinkle-toed 'Benny'|date=12 June 2022|access-date=14 June 2022}}</ref>
</blockquote>

==Post-retirement==
After retiring, Bennett became a commentator for [[BBC Wales]] on their radio and television rugby coverage.<ref name=Wales/> He also had regular newspaper columns for the ''[[South Wales Evening Post]]'' and ''[[Daily Mirror]]''.<ref name=Wales/> Bennett published his autobiography in 2004.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bennett |first1=Phil |last2=Thomas |first2=Graham |title=Phil Bennett: The Autobiography |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-00-716255-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c0l2AAAACAAJ |access-date=14 June 2022 }}</ref>  In 2007, he was inducted into the [[Welsh Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Phil Bennett |url=https://welsh-sports-hall-of-fame.wales/az/phil-bennett/ |website=Welsh Sports Hall Of Fame |access-date=17 June 2022 |date=2007}}</ref> He was named president of the [[Scarlets]] regional side in 2011.<ref name=Wales/> In 2015, he was inducted into the [[World Rugby Hall of Fame]]<ref name="World Rugby Hall of Fame 2015">{{cite web |title=2015 in Review: Hall of Fame inductees |url=https://www.world.rugby/news/129278/2015-in-review-hall-of-fame-inductees |website=www.world.rugby |publisher=[[World Rugby Hall of Fame]] |date=27 December 2016 |access-date=17 June 2022|quote=The full list of inductees into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015 (in alphabetical order) is: Phil Bennett (Wales), Naas Botha (South Africa), Gordon B...}}</ref> (listed at the website of the Hall of Fame as inducted in 2014).<ref name="World Rugby Hall of Fame 2014">{{cite web |title=Phil Bennett |url=https://www.world.rugby/halloffame/inductees/731 |website=www.world.rugby |publisher=[[World Rugby Hall of Fame]] |access-date=17 June 2022 |language=en |date=2014|quote=TEAM Wales POSITION Fly Half INDUCTED TO HOF '''2014''' CAREER 1968-1978}}</ref> In April 2022, a statue of Bennett by local wood carver Simon Hedger was unveiled in Bennett's home village of Felinfoel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Statue of Llanelli rugby legend Phil Bennett unveiled |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61121358 |website=BBC News |date=15 April 2022 |accessdate=14 June 2022 }}</ref>

==Death==
Bennett died on 12 June 2022 after a long illness at the age of 73.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="Wales 2"/> ''[[The Guardian]]'' said that Bennett was "one of the greatest fly-halves to play for Wales and the British and Irish Lions.<ref name=Guardian/> [[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."<ref name="Tweet">{{Cite tweet |user=WorldRugby|number=1536250459068977152|title=One of the greatest to have ever played the game. Phil Bennett's legacy and his impact are undeniable.|access-date=14 June 2022|date=Jun 13, 2022}}</ref> The [[Welsh Rugby Union]] said he was "a Welsh rugby legend in every sense and true gentleman".<ref name="Tweet 2">{{Cite tweet |user=WelshRugbyUnion |number=1536079636488232961 |title=Such sad news from Llanelli this evening with the passing of Phil Bennett, a Welsh rugby legend in every sense and true gentleman |access-date=14 June 2022 |date=12 June 2022 }}</ref>

On 19 June 2022, ahead of their match against [[England national rugby union team|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. <ref name=Wales4>{{cite web|title=Phil Bennett honoured with touching Barbarians tribute from players moments before kick-off against England|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/phil-bennett-honoured-touching-barbarians-24267167|website=walesonline.co.uk|date=19 June 2022|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scarlets.wales/article/scarlets-to-take-on-barbarians-in-phil-bennett-memorial-game/ |publisher=Scarlets Rugby |title=Scarlets to take on Barbarians in Phil Bennett Memorial Game|date=12 June 2023|accessdate=14 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://philbennettfoundation.com/|title=The Phil Bennett Foundation|access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref> The match was played on the 16 September 2023 and the Scarlets won the game 33–19.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66789346 |publisher=BBC Sport |title=Phil Bennett memorial match: Scarlets 33-19 Barbarians|date=16 September 2023|accessdate=16 September 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=David |last2=Williams |first2=Gareth |title=Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union |year=1980 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=0-7083-0766-3 }}
* {{cite book |last=Bennett |first=Phil |title=Phil Bennett: The Autobiography |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-00-816121-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0WRqCgAAQBAJ }}

==External links==
*[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=3126 Sporting Heroes website]
*{{ESPNscrum|7435}}

{{British and Irish Lions 1974}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1977}}
{{British & Irish Lions captains}}
{{Barbarian F.C. captains for international games}}
{{BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Phil}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:Anti-English sentiment in Wales]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Wales]]
[[Category:Crawshays RFC players]]
[[Category:Felinfoel RFC players]]
[[Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Llanelli RFC players]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Carmarthenshire]]
[[Category:Rugby union fly-halves]]
[[Category:Wales international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Welsh rugby union players]]
[[Category:Wales rugby union captains]]

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