Mike Gibson became the fifth Ireland international to be inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Belfast on Tuesday night.
The former Ireland and Lions star joins Jack Kyle, Willie John McBride, Syd Millar and Tony O’Reilly in a category that was introduced by the IRB in 2006.
Born in 1942, Gibson made his debut for Ireland at outhalf as a 21-year-old against England in 1964, but it was to be at centre that he would excel during an international career that lasted 15 years and earned him 69 caps.
He represented the Lions a remarkable 68 times over five tours, winning 12 Test caps, and was a mainstay of the victorious tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974.
“It is an honour to be inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame and to be recognised amongst an illustrious list of greats,” said Gibson after receiving the commemorative cap and gold pin from Syd Millar.
“I consider rugby to be the greatest team sport and I must give thanks to all my team-mates with whom I trained and played. Without them this would not have been possible.”
