Scarlets Names Sean Fitzpatrick Board Member

Welsh rugby team Scarlets has appointed legendary former New Zealand captain and World Cup winner Sean Fitzpatrick, 57, as a new board member, the BBC reports.

Fitzpatrick joins as a non-executive director and global ambassador.

“I’m hugely excited to be joining a club with such a rich history,” Fitzpatrick told the BBC.

Fitzpatrick was part of New Zealand’s World Cup-winning squad in the inaugural tournament in 1987. He played in 92 Tests between 1986 and 1997 and was captain for 51 internationals.

The former hooker played 63 consecutive Test matches and guided the All Blacks to a series win over the touring British and Irish Lions in 1993, and to a first memorable Test series triumph in South Africa in 1996.

“The tradition and the passion is so similar to New Zealand and the Scarlets is the closest to a New Zealand environment I have experienced, completely community-based, with a total focus on the development of local talent and pride in their achievement,” Fitzpatrick said.

Original article by BBC Sport, July 23, 2020.

Photo by Ian Williams.