Hall of Fame 2007

In 2007, London Wasps staged the club's inaugural Hall of Fame dinner, a star studded evening celebrating some of the greatest players ever to pull on the Wasps jersey.

Of the eight players inducted, three of those, Neville Compton, Bob Stirling and Sir Peter Yarranton were posthumously recognised, whilst five more Wasps greats of the amateur and professional era were present at the dinner. Wasps and England heroes of the fifties, Richard Sharp and Ted Woodward, eighties golden boy Rob Andrew and two supporters' favourites from the professional era, Rob Howley and Kenny Logan all entertained with anecdotes and recollections of their playing days with the club in a series of interviews throughout the evening.

Standing ovations confirmed the high esteem and respect these men are continue to hold at Wasps, and no doubt all who were there on the night ' and many who weren't ' are already looking forward to next year's event.

Posthumous Inductees

Neville Compton
Second Row
Wasps, London & Barbarians
1XV debut 1926
Club captain 1939-47

Neville Compton was truly a giant Wasp, as a player, captain, touch judge, administrator extraordinaire and finally President.
Neville played for the club's 1XV for 18 years including the club's greatest season, 1930/31, when the 1XV went though the entire season unbeaten.

Neville never player for England, though he captained London Division in 1943 and was the first Wasp ever to play for Barbarians. Holding down a 'reserved occupation' during World War II, he discharged the difficult task of leading the Club throughout the war, and it is for his dedication, organisational skills and sheer force of character as a leading light of the club for over fifty years that he will be best remembered.

Bob Stirling
Tight Head Prop
Wasps, RAF and England (18 caps, captain 1954)
1XV debut 1953
Bob Stirling came to Wasps late in his playing days, when he was promoted to Wing Commander and posted to RAF Halton, near Aylesbury. He was already England's tight-head prop and in 1954, at the age of 34, he became Wasps first-ever international captain, leading England throughout the 1954 international season.
A quiet man, he was immensely strong and an absolute bedrock of the English pack. Playing alongside fellow Wasps internationals Pat Sykes, Ted Woodward and Peter Yarranton, he was part of a Wasps outfit that became the strongest London side of that era.

Peter Yarranton
Second Row
Wasps, RAF, Combined Services, England (5 caps) and Barbarians
1XV debut 1951
Club captain 1960-2

Peter came to rugby late, joining Wasps he was 25, but within three seasons he had earned international recognition. At the age of 37, he was the only 1XV member to play all 25 games and continued playing into his 50s.

Off the field of play, Peter was just as successful, if not more. As well as a long and impressive stint as Honorary Secretary of the club, he worked on numerous committees, earning a knighthood for his services to rugby and ultimately becoming President of the RFU in 1991, the year England hosted the second Rugby World Cup and lost to the Wallabies in the final

Inductees

Ted Woodward
Winger/No8
Wasps, Middlesex, England (15 caps)
1XV debut 1949
Club captain 1956

A local boy, and former pupil of RGS High Wycombe, Ted was quick and big, a wing very much in the Jonah Lomu mould. Making his England debut as an 18 year old in 1951, he went on to help England to the Five Nations Championship the following season. A niggling hamstring problem prevented Ted from adding to his 15 caps as a wing, so he reverted instead to No8 where he also won an international trial for England.

Richard Sharp
Fly half
Wasps, England (14 caps, captain 1963) British Lions (SA 1962)
1XV debut 1957

A consummate fly-half, Richard was a willowy six-footer with a shock of blonde hair. He didn't run, he glided across the turf, most famously to score one of England's greatest ever tries, against Scotland, on the way to skippering England to the Five Nation championship in 1963. Enrolled as a Wasp when he was only five weeks old, both father Freddie and Uncle Ivan played for the club in the 1920s, but Richard remains one of the most talented rugby players ever to take the field for Wasps or England, leading author Bernard Cornwell to name his fictional hero Sharpe after his rugby hero.

Rob Andrew
Fly Half
Wasps, London Division, England (71 caps, captain)
1XV debut 1986 (77 apps)

A pupil of Barnard Castle, Rob captained Cambridge to victory in the 1985 Varsity Match before joining Wasps, where he remained the No1 fly half for the next nine years ' making 77 starts and never sitting on the bench. Rob was a member of the Courage League winning Wasps side of 1990 and went on to become England's leading points' scorer, with 396 from 71 tests. He represented his country in two Rugby World Cups, reaching the final in 1991. At the vanguard of the professional era, Rob moved to Newcastle Falcons in 1995 as player and Director of Rugby, a role he retained until being appointed Elite Rugby Director by the RFU in 2006.

Rob Howley
Scrum half
Wasps, Wales (59 caps, 22 as captain),Barbarians, British Lions (SA 1997, Aus 2001)
1XV debut 2003 (42 apps)

Bridgend born Howley joined Wasps late in his career, as a 31 year old and already having retired from international rugby. However, Rob's reputation as one of the world's greatest scrum halves did not desert him in his time at Wasps, though he will be mostly fondly remembered for one moment in particular, when he scored the last gasp try that won his side their first Heineken Cup in 2004. Though he was forced to retire from playing the following season, Howley has pursued a successful coaching career with Cardiff Blues and is currently in Warren Gatland's sights for a coaching role with the Welsh international side.

Kenny Logan
Wing
Wasps, Scotland (70 caps), Barbarians
1XV debut 1996 (124 apps)

Kenny joined Wasps at the advent of professionalism, and remained with Wasps for the next seven seasons. A prolific scorer, he held several club records and still holds the title for record number of tries scored in a game (5, versus Orrell in 1996). Kenny was the 1XV's top points' scorer for three consecutive seasons (1998-2001) and top try scorer in 1996-7 and 1998-9. He represented Scotland in three Rugby World Cups over a thirteen year international career. Kenny has enjoyed recent fame as a highly popular contestant on BBC TV's Strictly Come Dancing.