Bill Beaumont's tribute to "great guy" Des Seabrook

The proud Wiganer served as a player, captain, coach, director of rugby and club president, and was one of the driving forces in taking the Edge Hall Road outfit into the top-flight.

Seabrook also coached the representative sides and led the North of England team to an historic 21-9 victory over New Zealand at Otley in 1979.

Beamont - a former England captain who is now the chairman of World Rugby - was in that side, and said: “Des was an outstanding player, a great rugby brain and a fantastic coach.

"He masterminded the North’s victory over the All Blacks.

“He was captain of Lancashire when I started playing county rugby and he was a really tough guy, didn’t take any prisoners.

"Des had enormous respect and everyone enjoyed his company.

"A very proud Lancastrian and Englishman he was one of three outstanding rugby brains from Mid Lancashire, along with Fran Cotton and Brian Ashton.

"He was a great guy, a huge influence on younger players and he’ll be very much missed.”

In 2017 Seabrook received a lifetime achievement award in the Rugby Union Writers Awards recognising his tremendous contribution to rugby.