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London - England's Rob Andrew and France's Fabien Pelous are among five players who will be inducted into World Rugby's Hall of Fame next month, the global governing body announced Thursday.
The pair have been joined in a five-strong class of 2017 by Argentina playmaker Felipe Contepomi, long-serving Canada forward Al Charron and United States women's player Phaidra Knight who, unlike her fellow inductees, only retired earlier this year after a career spanning 18 years as an international and three World Cups.
Flyhalf Andrew was a mainstay of the successful England teams of the 1980s and 1990s before overseeing the start of rugby great Jonny Wilkinson's career while at Newcastle and then becoming a senior administrator with the Rugby Football Union, although he is now the chief executive of English county cricket club Sussex.
Meanwhile former lock Pelous was a key figure for both Toulouse and France in the 1990s and early 2000s.
All five honorees are set to be inducted at the Hall of Fame's permanent home in the town of Rugby -- home to the school that gave the 15-a-side code its name -- in central England on November 10.
The quintet's inclusion means there are now 137 members of the Hall of Fame and Bill Beaumont, the chairman of World Rugby and a former England and British and Irish Lions captain, said: "The latest set of inductions includes some real legends, players who have helped to shape the image of rugby and inspire generations of fans. They all have contributed immensely to the enjoyment we have all felt watching top-level rugby over the decades."
Meanwhile World Rugby Hall of Famer and chairman of the Hall of Fame panel John Eales said: "I'm very proud to be the chair of the selection panel for the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
"This year's nominations continue in the tradition of inducting players who have had a profound influence on our sport over a very long period of time," the Australia great added.
"Phaidra, Rob, Fabien, Felipe and Al have each been wonderful ambassadors for rugby in the way they conducted themselves on the field and have continued to do so in retirement."
