Crawford, Dominguez headline World Rugby Hall of Fame 2026 class
By Sydney HarmonWorld Rugby has announced the full class of 2026 inductees into its Hall of Fame, recognizing seven global figures, including American rugby icon Jen Crawford and Argentine-Italian fly-half Diego Domínguez. These additions bring the total number of Hall of Fame members to 182 since its inception in 2006 full list of inductees.
The class of 2026 also includes South Africa’s Joel Stransky, New Zealand’s Zinzan Brooke, France’s Abdelatif Benazzi, England’s Sue Day, and New Zealand’s Rochelle Martin, with individual induction ceremonies scheduled throughout late 2026 and early 2027.
USA's Crawford, a trailblazing Eagle
Jen Crawford, designated Inductee No. 179, is celebrated as one of the greatest players in USA rugby history from Pennsylvania. Her remarkable 12-year career, spanning from 1988 to 2000, showcased her versatility across fly-half, center, and fullback positions.
Crawford earned 23 test caps for the USA Women’s Eagles, scoring 24 tries. She played a pivotal role in the Eagles’ victory at the inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1991, where the USA defeated England 19-6 in Cardiff, Wales. She also competed in the 1994 and 1998 Women’s Rugby World Cup Finals, where the USA finished as runners-up to England and New Zealand, respectively.
Domestically, Crawford was instrumental in the Berkeley All-Blues securing nine consecutive USA Rugby National Women’s Club Championships. Her commitment to rugby development is further evidenced by her co-founding of the Piedmont High School Girls’ Rugby Club, which has produced numerous collegiate players and even a USA national team member. Crawford's induction ceremony will take place on October 30 during the WXV Global Series 2026 match between USA and England in New Jersey trailblazer for women's rugby.
Domínguez's unique international career
Diego Domínguez becomes the second Italian member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame, following Sergio Parisse. Both Italian inductees share the distinction of being born and raised in Argentina, with Parisse hailing from La Plata and Domínguez from Córdoba Argentine born and raised.
Domínguez initially debuted for Los Pumas in 1989, earning two caps before making the historic decision to represent Italy, his parents’ homeland. He went on to earn 74 caps for Italy, participating in Rugby World Cups in 1991, 1995, and 1999. His career total points stand at 1010, with 983 for Italy and 27 for Argentina.
His contributions were crucial in elevating Italy’s standing in European rugby, notably securing three consecutive victories over Ireland from 1995-1997, which helped pave the way for Italy’s admission into the Six Nations in 2000. Domínguez's induction is slated to occur before one of Italy’s Men’s Six Nations matches against France or Wales in Rome next March former Argentina and Italy fly-half.
Other notable inductees and upcoming ceremonies
The 2026 class also features New Zealand’s Rochelle Martin, a three-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner, whose induction will be held at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch during a Black Ferns versus France WXV Global Series encounter. England’s Sue Day, the Red Roses’ record try-scorer, will be inducted alongside Crawford Day a record try-scorer.
French veteran Abdelatif Benazzi, a World Rugby Council member and vice-president of the Fédération Française de Rugby, will be inducted at a World Rugby Council dinner in Dublin. Joel Stransky and Zinzan Brooke were the first to be inducted, in a special ceremony in Cape Town on August 27, coinciding with Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series Stransky and Brooke.
These inductions recognize individuals who have not only excelled on the field but have also embodied rugby’s core values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline, and respect, further enriching the global legacy of the sport. Further information on international rugby news and historical figures can be found on our international rugby news and Hall of Fame pages.