Donal Lenihan: Irish rugby owes Syd Millar an enormous debt of gratitude

Syd was first and foremost a rugby man who, despite his very strong allegiance to Ulster, always did what was best for Irish rugby, writes Donal Lenihan.

RIP: Syd Millar in 2007.  MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Irish rugby lost one of its most revered and impactful figures with the passing of Syd Millar over the weekend. His vision, personality and sheer presence, working alongside the late Tom Kiernan and Noel Murphy, is the principal reason Irish rugby not only survived the advent of professionalism but turned it to our advantage.

Both Syd and Tom were in the room in Paris on that famous day in August 1995 when the vote was taken by the IRB, as World Rugby was known at the time, for the game to go open. Syd and Tom were mandated by the IRFU to vote against the proposal for the game to go professional but were outvoted.