Wales dual-code international John Devereux has become the latest rugby league player to have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame.
The 57-year old was presented with his memento at Cardiff City Stadium last night by Jim Mills, the last rugby league recipient and also the man who brought Devereux into rugby league when he was chairman of Widnes.
Heritage #340, Devereux won 20 rugby league international caps in total. The included 12 for Wales, playing in both the 1995 and 2000 World Cups. He played for Great Britain on eight occasions, one of which was in the 1992 World Cup Final after going on tour with the Lions to Australia earlier that year. At this moment in time, he’s the last Welshman to play in a Rugby League World Cup Final.
He’d previously played 21 times for the Welsh RU side, making his debut aged 19 against England at Twickenham and playing in the inaugural Rugby Union World Cup in 1987, as well as winning one British and Irish Lions cap. He started playing at Bridgend RFC, before turning professional with Widnes in 1989. With the Chemics, he won Lancashire Cup and Regal Trophy winners medals. He also enjoyed a loan spell at Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 1993. After rugby union became openly professional, he played for Sale Sharks, Worcester, Bridgend, Pontypool and Maesteg in that sport.
In 2003, he became a founder member of Bridgend Blue Bulls RLFC and helped them win the Welsh and National Rugby League Conference titles. He continued his involvement in rugby league, becoming team manager of the Wales side for the Four Nations in 2011, whilst also sitting on the board of South Wales Scorpions in their first four years.
Devereux said: “A massive shock tonight after I was invited to a Hall of Fame dinner at Cardiff City Stadium. I had no idea I was there to be inducted in the Hall of Fame for Rugby League and Union. Having my ex-college butties there, and Jim Mills there to give me my award was so special. When my new book comes out in October it will be full of all the stories of my long career in rugby.”