THERE were celebrations at Bury Rugby Club recently with the news that former club stalwart Bill Chappell had been elected onto the National Rugby Football Union committee.

After the recent in-fighting which had bedevilled the game at the highest level, Chappell stood as a supporter of Cliff Brittle, the current chief executive.

Among Brittle's other supporters were former England captains Bill Beaumont and British Lions manager Fran Cotton. Cotton and Chappell are the two Lancashire representatives on the RFU.

Bill, who now lives in Grange-Over-Sands, joined the Bury club as a Rossall schoolboy and played all his club rugby at Bury. A Lancashire triallist he also regularly played for the Anti-Assassins club.

A captain of the first XV for several seasons, Bill went on to become chairman and president of the club, positions he also held on the committee of Bury Sports Club.

In recent years, while serving on the Lancashire RFU, Bill's efforts have been channelled into setting up the league structure and administration in the north west.

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