The death has taken place of Andy Mulligan, the former Ireland and Lions scrumhalf. He was 65.

Born in India in February 1936 of Irish parents, he was educated at Gresham's School and Cambridge Uiversity, for whom he played in three successive Varsity matches between 1955 and 1957. He played club rugby for London Irish and Wanderers and at interprovincial level for Ulster.

He made his debut for Ireland against France at Stade Colombes in 1956 and was also on the team that lost to England that season. He played in all four championship matches in 1957 and he was on the team that beat Australia 9-6 at Lansdowne Road in January 1958 - the first Ireland side to defeat a major touring team. He won three further caps that season, missing just one match, against Wales.

He was Ireland's first-choice scrumhalf throughout the 1959 and 1960 championships and captained the side three times during the 1960 campaign before being succeeded as captain for the final match that season by Ronnie Dawson. He won the last of 22 caps against South Africa on Ireland's tour to that country in 1961.

Much to his disappointment, he was not chosen on the Lions squad for the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1959, but he joined that tour as a replacement. He had the distinction of playing in the final Test in Auckland when the Lions, led by Dawson and including four other Irishmen, David Hewitt, Tony O'Reilly, Bill Mulcahy and Noel Murphy, beat the All Blacks 9-6. No fewer than 10 Irishmen were on that tour, Ireland's biggest representation.

Andy Mulligan was a gregarious character, never short of a word or the quick quip. The stories told by him and of him are many and news of his death has been received with great regret by his many friends in the game here and elsewhere. He has lived abroad for many years, most recently in the United States. He had a varied and wide-embracing career. A business executive and one-time journalist, he was also a European Union official who worked in both Brussels and Washington.

Sincere sympathy is extended to his wife Pia and family.