World Rugby reveal 2021 Hall of Fame inductees

Former England captain Will Carling is among the 2021 World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees.

Alongside the ex-Harlequins centre is legendary Fiji sevens player Osea Kolinisau, former Kenya sevens star Humphrey Kayange, ex-New Zealand dual-code athletes Huriana Manuel-Carpenter, former Australia star Cheryl McAfee and ex-Scotland international and talismanic coach Jim Telfer.

World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “In this Olympic year, we are recognising those who have all played a significant role in cementing rugby as an Olympic sport.

“Their contributions should not be underestimated in terms of the global growth of rugby. We are also acknowledging the contributions of those who have left their mark on the oldest international fixture in the game.”

The six stars were selected by the Hall of Fame committee. This comprises of John Eales, David Hands, Henri Garcia, Pablo Mamone, Rob Cole, Anna Richards and Wayne Smith.

Eales, the chair of the committee, said: “The 2021 inductees for the World Rugby Hall of Fame are representative of all that is good in our game. Each of them have been outstanding players in either sevens or 15s and they have also been important contributors to rugby, in their own countries and globally, off the field.”

World Rugby 2021 inductees

Carling led England to back-to-back Five Nations grand slams in 1991 and 1992. He also captained them to the 1991 World Cup final and was the youngest England captain for 57 years.

Meanwhile, Kolinisau skippered Fiji sevens to Olympic gold in Rio 2016 – the country’s first gold medal. He also won the 2015 and 2016 World Rugby Sevens Series titles before retiring in 2017.

Kayange is another sevens star to make the list. He was a part of 12 World Series and two Commonwealth Games before he retired in 2016. In 2021 he was elected as to the IOC Athletes’ Commission and as an IOC Member.

Manuel-Carpenter won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics and World Series titles. She has also won big on the 15s stage as she has two World Cup titles. Her stats are also impressive with 15 tries for the Black Ferns in 25 caps.

McAfee was also on the sevens circuit and was Australia’s first captain at the World Series. She also captained Australia’s 15s side and won a bronze medal at the 2010 World Cup. And in 2012 she joined World Rugby’s Rugby Committee.

Telfer won 25 caps for Scotland and went on two British & Irish Lions tours. He then turned to coaching. He led the Lions on their 1983 tour and was an assistant to Sir Ian McGeechan for their successful 1997 tour.

The ex-Scottish cap then took charge of the national team, having been an assistant coach for Scotland previously. In 1999, he led them to their last-ever Five Nations title.

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