LEINSTER RUGBY HAVE led the tributes to former Ireland international and team manager, Paul McNaughton, who has passed away.

Inducted into the Leinster Rugby Hall of Fame in 2018, McNaughton was a real all-rounder, representing Leinster and Ireland in rugby, as well as playing soccer for Shelbourne and Bray Wanderers and Gaelic football for Wicklow’s senior team.

Rugby is where he is best known, having captained Greystones RFC as well as having stints with Dublin University and Wanderers RFC, with whom he won a Leinster Senior Cup and league title in 1973.

That same year he played in the first of his two FAI Cup finals with Shelbourne before he quit the double-jobbing to focus solely on rugby.

This decision was soon rewarded with selection for Leinster Rugby and Ireland ‘A’ in 1977 and a full Ireland debut followed in February 1978 against Scotland in a 12-9 win in Lansdowne Road in the Five Nations Championship.

The highlight of McNaughton’s 15 caps for Ireland was a tour of Australia in 1979, a series Ireland won 2-0.

As an administrator, Declan Kidney appointed him Leinster team manager in 2004 and his association with the club remained as he served as both Director of Rugby and Chairman of Leinster.

It was Kidney who again came knocking in 2008 offering him the position of Irish Rugby team manager and he was on the sideline on the famous day in 2009 as Ronan O’Gara’s drop goal sealed a famous Grand Slam and a first since 1948 for Ireland.

He remained as Ireland team manager until 2011.

Leinster issued a statement which said: “It is with huge sadness that Leinster Rugby expresses its condolences to the family and friends of the late, Paul McNaughton.

“He was the very definition of a ‘sports man’.”