Fergus Slattery

John Fergus Slattery, known throughout rugby as Slatts, was an Irish openside flanker whose pace, work rate and leadership placed him among the finest back-row forwards of his generation. Born in Dun Laoghaire on 12 February 1949, he died on 3 June 2026 at the age of 77 after living with dementia diagnosed in early 2018 and, later, cancer. Blackrock College RFC, the Irish Rugby Football Union and the British and Irish Lions announced his death and led tributes that stretched from Stradbrook to the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

Educated at Blackrock College and University College Dublin, Slattery made his Ireland debut in January 1970 in an 8-8 draw with South Africa at Lansdowne Road. Over fourteen seasons he won 61 caps, 18 as captain, and scored three tries. When he made his final appearance against France in the 1984 Five Nations he was the most-capped flanker in world rugby. He helped Ireland win the Five Nations in 1974 and the Triple Crown in 1982, forming a celebrated back row with Willie Duggan and John O'Driscoll. In 1979 he captained Ireland on their most successful tour of Australia, winning both Tests and seven of eight matches.

With the British and Irish Lions he toured New Zealand in 1971, part of the only Lions squad to win a Test series there, though illness kept him out of a Test start. In 1974 he played all four Tests in South Africa with the unbeaten Invincibles, scoring six tour tries and coming within a disallowed grounding of a seventh in the drawn fourth Test. Lions Rugby later called him an integral part of one of the best Lions back rows of all time. Between those tours he scored for the Barbarians in their famous 1973 Cardiff win over the All Blacks.

Club rugby never lost him. He turned out for Blackrock long after Test days, donated broadcast fees to the club and helped introduce a hockey section. Off the field he worked in estate agency and commercial property. Inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007 and the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015, he is remembered as a player who, as Blackrock put it, defined the jersey: courage, intelligence, humility and absolute commitment to the team beside him. He is survived by his wife Margot, daughter Nikki, son Cameron and grandchildren.