Australian Rugby Union Statesman Sir Nicholas Shehadie honoured with the Vernon Pugh Award for his distinguished service to Rugby.

Former Wallabies captain and current Australian Rugby Union Statesman Sir Nicholas Shehadie has been honoured with one of the game’s highest accolades at the International Rugby Board Awards in London this morning.

Sir Nicholas received the Vernon Pugh Award for distinguished service to Rugby at the annual ceremony where Welsh winger Shane Williams was named 2008 International Player of the Year.

“I feel very proud, very honoured,” said Sir Nicholas, a past ARU President who captained the Wallabies in three of his 30 Tests from 1947 to 1958 and is acknowledged as a principal architect behind the establishment of the Rugby World Cup.

“Rugby has been my education. What I’ve got out of the game is respect and it’s been my life.”

Sir Nicholas is a former Sydney Lord Mayor, chairman of SBS and chairman of the SCG Trust, who was knighted in 1976 for his service to public office and sport.

He was 15 when he made his first grade debut for the Randwick club in Sydney and 20 when he sailed out for the first post-war tour to the UK and Ireland in 1947.

Forty years later the Rugby World Cup was played for the first time in Australia and New Zealand after Sir Nicholas helped drive acceptance of a global championship.

“There were a lot of people who worked night and day to see it come to fruition,” he said. “There were critics who said it wouldn’t work, but it has. It has grown like mushrooms. It’s been huge, a massive success, and I believe it’s only going to get bigger.”

ARU Managing Director and CEO John O’Neill said Sir Nicholas was “a great Australian citizen” whose contribution to the game in this country and worldwide had been massive.

"His role in helping to establish the Rugby World Cup will never be forgotten,” he added. “Sir Nicholas has been a hugely influential and respected figure within the game and the community and ARU is delighted the IRB has accorded him this honour.”

The award is named after former IRB chairman Vernon Pugh, who passed away shortly before the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Sydney.”

The IRB Awards recognized Welsh speedster Williams as the IRB Player of the Year for 2008; the 31-year-old scoring six tries during the Six Nations earlier this year to break the Wales all-time try scoring record.

He is the first Welshman to win the Award, ahead of New Zealand five-eighth and 2005 IRB Player of the Year Dan Carter, Welsh teammate Ryan Jones, Scotland halfback Mike Blair and Italy captain Sergio Parisse.

The judging panel was convened by former Wallabies captain John Eales.

New Zealand was named IRB Team of the Year while Graham Henry was named IRB Coach of the Year.