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Possessing the vital skills of the hooker - strength, excellent technique and aggression - Peter Wheeler was also outstanding in the loose and this set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Having competed with the great England hooker, John Pullin, Wheeler gained his first cap in 1975 against the French. Nevertheless he had been knocking on the door for some time and had gone on the England tour to the Far East in 1971; not bad considering he had started the 1970-71 season as second choice hooker at Leicester. He was also nominated as the emergency replacement for the Lions in South Africa in 1974. In only his second game against Wales and the awesome Welsh front row - the famed 'Pontypool Front Row' of Faulkner, Windsor and Price - Wheeler injured his neck and missed the Calcutta up clash, a 7-6 victory against the Scots. However, he would return to the fold the following season and was a permanent fixture until his retirement from international rugby in 1984; by which time he had accumulated 41 caps. In the 1976 test against Australia, which England won 23-6, Wheeler took four strikes against the head. Having forged a reputation as a quick-witted and technically correct player, it was his contribution in the loose which struck the Lions' selectors for the 1977 tour to New Zealand. He was initially chosen as 'understudy' to the Welshman Bobby Windsor, but his dynamic play saw him replace his rival in the second test. The Lions had never won a second test against the All Blacks and had not tasted victory in Christchurch. However, with Wheeler at the core of one of the best ever Lions' packs, they triumphed in a 13-9 victory. Wheeler played in 13 games on tour and scored a try against South/Mid Canterbury. Sadly the series was lost. (John Lovell)
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Peter Wheeler pictured on 19th. March 1983. Photo G. Herringshaw. ©
Wheeler gained a reputation as a players' player both on and off the field. In these amateur times, he continually pressed for recognition of the players who were filling the stadiums. In retirement, with his involvement at Leicester, he asserted that the players should quite rightly earn their rewards for putting their bodies on the line. Some suggest that this outspokenness cost him the chance of leading England on more occasions than he did.
He did lead Leicester to a hat-trick of John Player Cup victories between 1979 and 1981. He was also a squad member in the Barbarians team which won the 1981 Hong Kong Sevens - the last UK side to do so. Wheeler and England's crowning moment came in 1980 when the Grand Slam was taken, the first for 27 years. The Leicester player was as lively and aggressive as ever. This was followed by selection for the Lions tour to South Africa in the same year.
Peter travelled as first choice hooker and played in 11 matches on
tour, scoring a crucial try in the victory over Orange Free State. Again
with a formidable pack, the Lions were let down by an injury-ravaged
back line; the series was lost 3-1, with Wheeler having played in all
four tests. 1983 was a strange year for Wheeler. As captain of the
Midlands division, he tasted victory over the touring All Blacks
(19-13). He then led England to victory over the All Blacks at
Twickenham - the last time this had been done was in 1935. However, he
was overlooked for the Lions tour to New Zealand when Ireland's
Fitzgerald and Scotland's Deans were selected as hookers. It wasn't a
bad tour to miss - the Lions were thumped 4-0 in the series. Wheeler
retired as England's most capped hooker at the end of the '84 season.
(John Lovell)
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