Ronnie Dawson, who captained the British and Irish Lions in a record six Test matches before becoming one of the world’s leading rugby administrators, has died aged 92.

Only Martin Johnson has since matched Dawson’s record for the number of Tests as Lions captain, although the Irishman nearly missed his selection to lead the touring party in 1959.

“I got a letter from Mr Bradforth, honorary secretary of the Home Unions Tour Committee,” he said in the book Behind The Lions.

“It started with your surname. ‘Dear Dawson..’ it went on to say, ‘you are invited to join the tour…blah, blah, blah… of Australia, New Zealand and Canada,’ and when I got it I was absolutely delighted and didn’t really finish the letter, I just put it down with a big ‘Yippee!’ The last few words when I went back to look at it again said ‘…and to be its captain’.”

Dawson’s role as Lions captain on that 1959 tour of New Zealand, Australia and Canada, which featured 33 games and six Tests in just four months, earned him “iconic” status in the game.

The Lions won both Tests against Australia and although they lost the first three Tests in a hard-fought series against New Zealand, they went on to make history by winning 9-6 in front of 60,000 supporters at Eden Park. It was the first time any players from the home unions had won a Test at the Auckland ground and not even the illustrious 1971 Lions managed to replicate the feat. It remains the Lions’ only ever victory against New Zealand at Eden Park.

Former hooker Dawson also represented Ireland on 27 occasions between 1958 and 1965 and played his club rugby for the famous Wanderers FC. He also played 28 times for Leinster and 22 times for the Barbarians, including a tour to South Africa in 1957.

He was unavailable to tour South Africa with the Lions in 1962 but was appointed assistant manager/coach of the 1968 Lions captained by Tom Kiernan and later became an Irish and Lions selector before moving into coaching, becoming Ireland’s first recognised head coach in 1969, a position he held for three years.

He later chaired the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) and was a member of the Rugby World Cup organising committee for the first tournament in 1987. His lifetime contribution to the game was acknowledged by the IRB in 2004, when he was awarded the Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service and again in 2013, when he was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.

“Ronnie Dawson was an iconic figure in Irish and international rugby whose impact transcended many eras,” said IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts.

“He made significant impressions as a player, coach, manager and administrator for Wanderers, Leinster, the Barbarians, the British and Irish Lions, World Rugby and Ireland. He was a quintessential leader and leaves a lasting legacy which will never be forgotten. We extend our sympathies to his daughters Sandra and Jackie, his son Nigel and a very wide circle of family and friends at this sad time.”