WRU chief executive Roger Lewis has described Ray Gravell as "a wonderful ambassador for rugby" after the rugby legend's sudden death.
Wales rugby mourns the death of legend
Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis has described Ray Gravell as "a wonderful ambassador for rugby and for Wales" after the legend died of a suspected heart attack aged 56.
Gravell, who played in the centres for Llanelli, Wales and British and Irish Lions, had been on holiday with his family in Mallorca.
He had been part of the Wales Grand Slam winning teams in 1976 and 1978, while he was part of the Scarlets side which famously toppled New Zealand in 1972.
Gravell, who had his right leg amputated below the knee following complications linked with his diabetes in August, was due to hand out the Wales jerseys to the squad ahead of the Test against South Africa on November 24.
Shock
And Lewis said: "We are all in total shock because Ray was so full of life even through the difficult health problems he suffered recently.
"He was a wonderful ambassador for rugby and for Wales and a great example of how the game can bring out the best in a man.
"As a player, he always gave a huge amount of respect to his opponents but never gave an inch of ground to anyone he faced on the field of play.
"It is a measure of the man that he forged rugby friendships which lasted long after his playing days up until the present day.
"Most recently, he stayed close to rugby as a broadcaster and was always in the tunnel to greet the teams with a handshake and a hug before and after big games.
"It is typical of the man that he became part of the tradition of our game and he was delighted when we asked him to present the jerseys to the Welsh players in the changing rooms before Wales play South Africa at the Millennium Stadium later in November."
