Class of 2017 inducted into Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame

Five Premiership Rugby legends can now officially call themselves ‘Hall-of-Famers’ after they were inducted into the exclusive club this evening.

The glittering ceremony at the Honourable Artillery Company in London saw Ben Kay, Nick Easter, Kyran Bracken, Steve Borthwick, and Jason Robinson formally welcomed into the Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame.

All five former players saw their careers celebrated, as former Bath Rugby forward David Flatman hosted the event, with money also being raised for two of Premiership Rugby’s official charities – Sport Relief and Restart Rugby.

Kay, Bracken and Robinson joined several of their fellow 2003 World Cup winners in the Hall of Fame, with Richard Hill and Neil Back inducted just last year – and Jonny Wilkinson, Josh Lewsey, Lawrence Dallaglio, Simon Shaw and Phil Vickery all also welcomed in recent times.

And Kay, a one-club man with Leicester Tigers where he made 177 Premiership Rugby appearances and won an astonishing six league titles (as well back-to-back European crowns in 2001 and 2002).

Bracken remains one of the most revered Saracens players of all time despite the side’s recent successes, after turning out for almost a decade in North London after a move from Bristol Rugby.

And Robinson, the third World Cup winner in the Hall of Fame class of 2017, also led with distinction during his playing days as he skippered Sale Sharks to their first-ever Premiership title in 2006.

Despite standing at just 5ft 8in tall, Robinson is still a reminder to youngsters today that size isn’t everything after scoring 33 tries in 111 Premiership Rugby games.

Both Easter and Borthwick have shown they can be just as effective in retirement as they were on the field, having successfully made the transition from players to world-class coaches.

Former England captain Borthwick, still the most capped Premiership Rugby player of all time with 265 league appearances for Bath Rugby and Saracens, took to coaching like a duck to water and has enjoyed impressive spells already with Japan, England and the British & Irish Lions.

Meanwhile, Harlequins legend Easter remains in south-west London as defence coach, having turned out in the famous quartered jersey 184 times in the Premiership and helped the side to their only league triumph to date in the 2011-12 campaign.