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ESPN staff 6y

Former Wallabies captain Nicholas Shehadie dead aged 92

Rugby

Former Wallabies captain Sir Nicholas Shehadie has died aged 92 on Sunday night.

A much-respected Wallaby, playing 30 Tests and over 100 games for the Wallabies between 1946-58, Shehadie later went on to serve as president of the Australian Rugby Union; a role that saw him play an integral role in the creation of the Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Shehadie also had a distinguished public life.

The husband of former NSW Governor General Dam Marie Bashir, Shehadie also served as Sydney's Lord Mayor between 1973 and 1975, and was the chairman of SBS for two decades, between 1981 and 1999.

A distinguished figure, politicians and business figures paid tribute.

Former Prime Minister Toby Abbott tweeted "Sir Nicholas Shehadie improved everything he was involved with."

While Alan Jones, who was Wallabies coach under Shehadie's administration said on radio: "[He was] a wonderful, wonderful Australian... a beautiful man. Our thoughts are very much with Marie and the family, lovely people."

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