St Helens bids farewell to rugby legend Ray French

French commentated on every Challenge Cup final for BBC TV from 1982 to 2008

Players from St Helens rugby league side have formed a guard of honour at the funeral of veteran commentator and "legend" of the sport, Ray French.

French, who was the voice of rugby league on BBC television and radio for more than four decades, died last month aged 85.

His funeral service was held at Helens Parish Church, in the town whose club he made his name with.

Speaking at the service, chairman of the club Eamonn McManus described him as a "great, great man" and "one of the best of the best of St Helens".

French was laid to rest at St Helens Parish Church

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus paid tribute at the service

Ray French was dual-code rugby international as a player.

He earned four rugby union caps as a second-row forward for England in 1961, before switching to league, playing four times for Great Britain in 1968.

At club level, he played league for St Helens from 1961 to 1967, making more than 200 appearances, before joining local rivals Widnes.

French also had a long career as a teacher and taught English and coached rugby at Cowley School in St Helens.

Former pupil Nigel Yates remembered him as "a hard working, inspiring teacher".

"He couldn't do enough for you," he said.

John Horton, a former England rugby union international and former pupil at Cowley, said Ray created "a rugby schools dynasty".

He said the "small state school from St Helens [became] known all over the country for the type of rugby they played".

After switching codes in 1961, French was quickly named captain of the town's rugby league side, with whom he won the Championship and Challenge Cup.

He was part of the Great Britain squad which travelled to Australia and New Zealand in 1968 on a tour that included that year's World Cup.

After retiring, he started a job at BBC Radio Merseyside in 1975 and later summarised the action at games for BBC TV.

In 1981, he replaced Eddie Waring as the BBC's lead rugby league commentator.

He commentated on every Challenge Cup final for BBC TV from 1982 to 2008 and went on to become one of the most recognisable voices in rugby league before retiring from commentating in 2019.

Hundreds of people turned out St Helens to pay their respects describing him as "a gentleman", "a legend" and "the best commentator rugby league has ever had".