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HALL OF FAME
DAVID HEWITT INDUCTED INTO
THE IRISH RUGBY WRITERS’ HALL OF FAME
Former Ulster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions centre, David Hewitt, has been
inducted into the Irish Rugby Writers’ Hall of Fame.
Former Ulster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions
centre, David Hewitt, has been inducted into the
Irish Rugby Writers’ Hall of Fame.
Hewitt was capped 18 times for Ireland (during
which time he scored one try, two conversions and
three penalties), and played in six Test matches
while on tour with the Lions to Australia and New
Zealand in 1959, and South Africa in 1962. His
personal points tally for the New Zealand matches
came to 112.
David Hewitt played his domestic rugby for
Queen’s University and then Instonians. While still
at school, he played for the Ulster senior team, and
at the age of 19 played for Ireland against Australia
alongside fellow Queen’s graduates, Jack Kyle and
Noel Henderson.
Speaking at last week’s awards dinner, Hewitt
recalled his days playing for his province: “I was
still a schoolboy when I was called up to play my
first match for Ulster. Jack Kyle called me up the
day before the game and said ‘I’m going to have
a run out at lunch time tomorrow, would you come
down and join me for a run out?’ I went out with
him and Noel Henderson and we ran up and down
the pitch a few times and threw the ball back and
forth – that was it in terms of preparation and it was
lovely!”
“Ulster against Leinster was the big one when I
was playing. Coming up against people like Tony
O’Reilly and people like that who I had toured with
was quite a challenge, but it was good fun and it
wasn’t the end of the world if you lost. Your wages
weren’t deducted and life went on!
“In terms of coaching, we were left to our
own devices. We had our own ideas – but not
too many! One of our moves was when Noel
Henderson had his breath back – he would say to
Jack (Kyle) – give me the ball, I’m going to have a
bit of dart! There isn’t as much space on the field
these days. It wouldn’t be my way of playing rugby.
Then you had forwards who stayed out of the way
and backs who lined out against each other. Then,
you only had your opposite number to beat!
“I’m honoured to have been inducted into the hall
of fame. It was lovely to meet some old friends
from past rugby days at the dinner - past rugby
days that ended in the early 1960’s.”
Congratulations to David on his well
deserved award.