Please don’t hate me for saying this but I always thought Dai must of had welsh in him. So similar to Gerald Davis and played the game just like the welsh team of that era. Simply brilliant

When I became interested in rugby in the late 1960s, I was cheering for England. Unfortunately, we only had one good player, and he seem to never get the ball! Fantastic to see what he can do when he played for the Barbarians!

Can anyone say the rugby players association president when he received Barclays Hall of fame

To watch him running with the ball was poetry in motion. I still get goose bumps when I watch 'that' game in 73 against the All Blacks.

take your word for it

Another magnificent player!

I love watching old clips when defending was an optional extra. He was trully an elegant mover. However theres no sibn of a blitz defence!😮

What a player he was.

There is a scene in Chariots of Fire where a hurdler places a glass of champagne on every hurdle looking for perfection by not spilling a drop. DD could run with a glass of champagne on his head and nor spill any.

First name that comes to mind, David Duckham will grace that title for all time.

Amazing talent. I wouldn't say he was England's greatest ever. So much talent coming out of the Isles. Much love and respect from NZ.

Has. A Welshman I have always rated DD has a great player, and one of the best English players of all time.

Dai Duckam, I loved watching him as a boy and tried to copy how he played and in Wales at that time this wasn't a problem since he was held in such high esteem by all Welshmen.

One of the true great rugby players!

It is because of David Duckham that I have watched rugby for the last 45 years and more.

Best Dummy of all time in the 73 epic v the All blacks 😊

A great player from a Welshman.

Yes a great player but ten tries in 36 tests is a tragedy for one of the greats and a terrible indictment on how the poms play rugby and is highlighted by the fact that only one N.H side has ever won a world cup since its inception despite constantly belittling S.H rugby. Kick and clap thats the N.H game in a nutshell !

0.56 He had the tight head prop out on his right. If he had cut in left to draw the defence and given the ball to the prop he most likely would have scored, but this was English rugby, you didnt pass to props, or even back row forwards at any level, much to my irritation at school. The only thing that kept me in the sport was that I had the tremendous good fortune to be playing for the juniors at London Welsh at this time. Otherwise I would have quit.

What a creative rugby genius. England could do with him now.

A great, great player (from a bloke from the Rhondda Valley).

Not only a great player, but also a great human being. In the early seventies, as a teenage schoolboy, I used to go to watch the Stanley's match every Autumn at Iffley Road. In those days, there was no stand on the river side of the ground, and all the youngsters stood (literally) on the side of pitch - right up to the touchline. During one match, I was right on the touchline, and Mr Duckham was either tackled or simply ran out of room, and as a result, I was trampled! Flat on the deck I lay there, winded. A huge hand appeared, scooped me up, stood my on my feet, and Mr Duckham enquired, "Are you alright, lad?" Unable to speak, I just nodded. The huge hand patted me on the head, and he smiled and said, "Well done!" And off he went, back to the game. A real gentleman!

remember watching him with my dad , what player , what a gentleman . RIP David . Jimmy Liverpool

Absolute legend , the Welsh called him Dai Ducham. RIP.

Absolutely one of the very best backs England have produced. He had it all and more.

It is with a heavy heart I find myself here watching the amazing Rugby player David Duckham. I was 9 years old when my Dad took me to Coundon Road for the first time. He worked on the turnstiles, I got free entrance ! David Duckham was an absolute Master of the game, his skills have only probably been matched by a few since. As a Coventry kid standing there watching the game, DD inspired me to play. I went to Finham Park School, rugby was very much a played sport and I managed to get my self in the team as a forward. I also played for Coventry Schools and to that end I will always thank DD for inspiring me to pick up that odd shape ball and run with it. A life long lover of Union. Goodnight David, sleep tight, God bless you and thank you. DJL

Played at a time when England were poor and perhaps never got the plaudits and credit he might have had. Showed for the Lions and the Baa Baas what a great player he was!

The flowing hair made him immediately recognisable.

Not sure I would call him " greatest ever", but he was fabulous to watch and what pace and talent

In an age when England had few players with real flair, he stood out as something completely special. Whenever he got the ball, there was a feeling in the crowd that he could do something magical, and he often did. RIP DD.

Back in 1971 I was 8 years old and playing rugby in New Zealand when the Lions toured. They paraded around Palmerston North sitting up on the backs of beach buggies and I got to walk alongside David Duckham. He was a hell of a nice guy and it was a memorable day for me, may he R.I.P..... as a side note 2 buggies down from us a kid tripped up and had his arm run over by the back wheel, that was the end of his season

This is what makes a nonsense of all those articles we read by someone or other - let’s call them A. N. Other, which is a real blast from the past - who chose ‘the best player ever’ only ever including anyone who was a contemporary or later. David Duckham had a real claim to be one of the best ever. The styles of players are so stark that it is almost possible to tell a player’s Nationality and Duckham was the epitome of an English style player.

RIP to a legend of my youth. God bless you.

Sad he dies just weeks before the 50th anniversary of that great match, Barbarians V New Zealand.

Vale to David. You gave me enormous pleasure watching you play at Twickenham during the 1970s. You’ll be able to have a noggin or twain with the other great winger of the times, Gerald Davies, up there in cloud land.

Never saw him play...but what I see online ...sheer power,pace sidesteps...everything!!👏

Hello from Ireland....David Duckham was absolutely beautiful to watch running with the ball.

A great player. A joy to watch

Fantastic player, RIP Dai from a welsh man

Great player .Brilliant finisher ........R.I.P. .(Welsh fan )

The modern game needs players who can run with the ball in hand like David Duckham.

Truly our greatest player. The only one who'd have got into the great Welsh sides of his era. And he could star with them for the Lions and BaBas and show his class.

The great David Duckham. The best I saw and an honour to have been a spectator.

As a kid growing up in Wales in the seventies I can confirm that David Duckham was revered here. We had Gerald Davies John Bevan JJ Williams some of our greatest ever wingers. David Duckham was just as good. A shame he missed the 1974 Lions tour as I'm sure he would have made a huge impact. Nice bloke too by all accounts. Sad for all rugby fans to hear of his passing.

Such an unusual yet elegant talent with that deceptive long striding and languid gate. When it was his day there were times when he would mesmerise the opposition with that killer sidestep. Legend that was never quite fulfilled at a time when English rugby struggled.

What a great player David was . From an Irish rugby supporter.

You'd pay good money to watch him, RIP maestro

Not only great to watch as an inspiring back in the 70s, pure genius indeed, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting David on many occasions since, a truly wonderful man who we shall all miss greatly.

I’m m his grandson

That great side step and the dummy by DD in that famous ‘ 73 Barbarians game where he he also managed to lose the camera man in the process! Pure genius. As a devoted Welsh rugby fan from that era I can’t but think this man should have been born West of the Severn bridge. Such an entertainer. Sleep well “Dai Duckham”.