LEEDS hero Bev Risman OBE has sadly passed away at the age of 85.
Born in Salford on 23rd November 1937 into a famous Rugby League family but brought up in Cumbria, Augustus Beverley Walter Risman, or Bev to all who knew him, first made his name in Rugby Union when he made his debut for England in 1959 before earning a place in the British and Irish Lions tour squad to New Zealand.
A standout student player in rugby union in the 1950s, he gained eight caps in total for England over three years, perhaps the on-field highlight of his fifteen-man code career coming with a sensational try in the Fourth Test for the Lions.
However, he eventually followed the path set out by his legendary father Gus and switched to the professional game of Rugby League with Leigh on 8th March 1961 despite the advances of Leeds at the time. However, five years later he eventually arrived at Headingley where he would achieve legendary status.
As a replacement effectively for Australian Ken Thornett, and a measure of Roy Francis’s unique vision – a converted stand-off signing, he had all the necessary distributive and decision making skills to be an instant success in the custodian’s role.
He joined a young, enthusiastic Leeds side that just needed guidance from the back, and his ability to size up a situation on attack to best release two of the finest wingers in the game under the new limited tackle rules was a revelation.
An intelligent strategist, with Leeds he won every major medal and fitted in perfectly to the entertainment principle, ironically missing few games until his playing career was ended by a chronic knee injury at Warrington in February 1970.
His input to success at the start of the second Leeds golden era was key, not least with his exceptional goal kicking – the leading exponent in the game from 1967-69, with a high of 165 goals.
Selected as skipper of the 1968 Great Britain World Cup squad, he appeared five times for his country and once for England.
A school teacher, after he finished playing, he devoted himself to the sport, not least as the first development officer in the south, helping set up student rugby league, managing Fulham and as a director at London Broncos.
At the cutting edge of fitness and training, he worked with the Lawn Tennis Association and was also technical director of David Storey’s rugby league play ‘The Changing Room’ in the West End.
Chairman of Carlisle Centurions when moving back home and of the Leeds ex-players association, a former trustee of the Rugby League Foundation and President of the RFL – redefining that role – he was awarded an OBE in 2012 for his services to the sport. He was inducted into the Leeds Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2018.
There will be a minutes silence before kick off at tonight’s Super League game between Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants at Headingley with the players wearing black armbands as a mark of respect. Bev will also be remembered at this Sunday’s Annual Leeds Rugby League Hall of Fame luncheon at Headingley by his friends and former team mates.
