Ex-Ireland rugby star Paul McNaughton dies aged 69

Former Irish rugby international Paul McNaughton has died at the age of 69, Leinster Rugby confirmed in a statement this morning.

A hugely varied and versatile sportsman, McNaughton earned 15 Ireland caps between 1978 and 1981, previously playing in two FAI Cup finals for Shelbourne, while also togging out for the Wicklow senior footballers.

Leinster Rugby announced his death this morning, describing McNaughton as "the very definition of a 'sportsman'."

Born in Bray and educated at St Kevin's in Greystones, McNaughton played for Bray Emmets in Gaelic football, while also representing Wicklow in hurling at the minor grades.

However, soccer and rugby were soon to take over, McNaughton playing for Bray Wanderers - then in the Leinster Senior League - before moving to Shelbourne in the League of Ireland, with whom he played in two FAI Cup finals in 1973 and 1975, finishing on the losing side on both occasions.

A club rugby player with Greystones, he was first selected by Leinster in 1977, winning his first Irish cap the following year in the 12-9 Five Nations victory over Scotland.

Playing as a centre, McNaughton played 15 times for Ireland over the next three years, earning his final cap against France in the 1981 Five Nations.

In later years, he served as Leinster team manager and subsequently Ireland team manager between 2008 and 2011, operating as part of the backroom team in the Grand Slam campaign of 2009.

In 2018, McNaughton was inducted into the Leinster Rugby Hall of Fame.