Former dual-code international Bev Risman has died at the age of 85, the Rugby Football League has announced. Risman represented England and toured with the British and Irish Lions in rugby union before switching to league with Leigh in 1961 and later moving to Leeds.
The son of another rugby league great in Gus Risman, he captained Great Britain in the 1968 World Cup and won both the Championship and Challenge Cup with Leeds. He was forced to retire by injury in 1970 but remained an influential figure in the game. He helped establish student rugby league, managed Fulham and became a director at London Broncos.
Risman was born in Salford but raised in Cumbria, and later returned north to serve as chairman at Carlisle. He was added to the sport’s roll of honour in 2005, served as RFL president in 2010 and was awarded an OBE for services to rugby league in 2012.
RFL chief executive Tony Sutton said: “On behalf of the RFL and the sport, we send condolences to Bev Risman’s family and friends – and we pay tribute to a man who made such a contribution to both codes of rugby as a player, and to rugby league in such a range of roles after his retirement.”
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Leeds announced a minute’s silence would be held prior to Friday’s Super League game between the Rhinos and Huddersfield, with players wearing black armbands as a mark of respect. Risman made 162 appearances for Leeds, kicking 611 goals and scoring 20 tries for the club. Four of his goals came in Leeds’ famous win in the 1968 ‘Watersplash’ Challenge Cup final against Wakefield.
