This Is Your Life: Up and Under

The This Is Your Life production team tackled several familiar names from the sport of rugby – though there was a definite bias to Wales – home of many a great player.

So, from league, union, National, Lions or International, here's a look at those fullbacks, left and right wings, fly halfs, hookers and flankers whose blind side was thrown off side by a surprising try from a scrum half carrying a Big Red Book...

		Barry JOHN 19 January 1972 Considered by many to be the greatest fly-half in the sport's history and known as The King, Barry was surprised by Eamonn at Twickenham Stadium. Born in Cefneithin, Wales, Barry played for Cardiff RFC with Gareth Edwards, forming one of the most famous half-back pairings in world rugby. Gareth appears as a guest on Barry's show.


		Clive SULLIVAN 3 January 1973 Clive - fresh from captaining the national team to victory in the 1972 Rugby World Cup - was surprised by Eamonn at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios. The Cardiff-born rugby league player, who played for Hull RFC, was the first black man to captain a national team in any sport.


		Willie John MCBRIDE 23 April 1975 Willie John - who made his international debut for Ireland in February 1962 and missed only one of 63 matches Ireland played during his 13-year career span between 1962 and 1975 - was surprised by Eamonn at the end of his final international match for Ireland at the Lansdowne Road Stadium in Dublin.


		Gareth EDWARDS 7 April 1976 The Welsh rugby union scrum-half, described by many as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey" was surprised by Eamonn and a coach full of his Welsh team mates in central London. Guests on the show include fellow rugby players - and This Is Your Life subjects - Barry John, Willie John McBride and Cliff Morgan.


		Mervyn DAVIES 17 November 1976 The Swansea born rugby union player, known as Merv the Swerve, was surprised by Eamonn during a Max Boyce concert in a big top at Swansea rugby ground, where the show was then recorded. Mervyn won his first cap for Wales in 1969 against Scotland, and went on to play 38 consecutive matches for Wales.


		JPR WILLIAMS 4 April 1979 JPR - a trained surgeon - was an iconic figure on the legendary 1970s Wales team, noted for his aggressive attacking style, along with his long sideboards and socks around his ankles. Eamonn surprised him, with the help of his team mates - appropriately dressed in doctor's white coats - in the foyer of Thames Television's Euston Road Studios.


		Bill BEAUMONT 9 April 1980 Eamonn employed the help of a fleet on Mini's to surprise the rugby union player in London's Battersea Park. Bill - as captain - had just led the England rugby union team to their first Grand Slam victory in 23 years. Among Bill's guests are Irish international players Rodney O'Donnell and John O'Driscoll.


		Cliff MORGAN 28 December 1988 Michael enlisted a whole host of sporting and show business names to help surprise the former rugby union player at the Welsh Rugby Club HQ in Richmond. Cliff earned 29 caps for Wales between 1951 and 1958, before a move into broadcasting saw him rise up the ranks of the BBC executives, culminating in his position as Head of Sport and Outside Broadcasts.


		Rory UNDERWOOD 1 April 1992 Having recently retired with 55 England caps under his belt, the former Leicester Tigers rugby union player - who was also a Royal Air Force pilot - was surprised by Michael - appropriately – at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire. Among those paying tribute are his England team mates Jeremy Guscott and Will Carling.


		Dean BELL 22 June 1994 Michael and the team travelled to Wigan to surprise the New Zealander - and captain of the Warriors - on the pitch at Central Park. Celebrating their seventh consecutive Challenge Cup win, the whole team attended the show's recording, along with surprise guests and fellow players, Ellery Hanley and John Monie.


		Gavin HASTINGS 17 January 1996 The recently retired rugby union fullback - known as 'Big Gav' - was surprised by Michael at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. Regarded by many as the best player to come out of Scotland, Gavin earned 61 caps for his country, as well as leading the British and Irish Lions on tour to New Zealand in 1993. A keen golfer, his tribute includes a message from Colin Montgomery.


		Jeremy GUSCOTT 1 September 1997 The outside centre player for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions was surprised by Michael on the set of the television show Gladiators, which he was co-presenting at Birmingham's Indoor Arena. Jeremy's guests include fellow players Lawrence D'Alligio, Gareth Chilcott, Rory Underwood, and athlete Sally Gunnell.


		Jason LEONARD 8 May 2000 Known as 'The Fun Bus', the Saracens, Harlequins, England, and British and Irish Lions player, was surprised by Michael at a Royal Bank of Scotland luncheon. Among the guests on Jason's tribute are his former team members Will Carling, Johnny Wilkinson and Martin Johnson.


		Jonah LOMU 11 January 2002 Michael surprised the New Zealand player - generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union - during a training session with the All Blacks in Edinburgh. Jonah's guests include Welsh comedian Max Boyce, who greets him in person, and Hollywood film star Robin Williams, who sends a recorded message.


		Jonathan DAVIES 20 February 2003 Michael interrupted a recording of the BBC TV programme A Question of Sport at the Granada Studios in Manchester in order to surprise the Welsh player, before travelling to the BBC studios in Cardiff to record the tribute. Jonathan's guests include fellow Welshmen - politician Neil Kinnock, singer and presenter Aled Jones and comedian Max Boyce.