RUGBY league legend Dave Chisnall has died earlier today after a long illness.

He was aged 64.

The charismatic prop forward gained honours with Great Britain, England and Lancashire, and he was captain of the Warrington team at Wembley against Widnes in 1975.

Chisnall, one of four sporting brothers with Eric and Les also playing professional rugby league and eldest John being a boxer, had spells with hometown club St Helens, Leigh twice, Warrington twice, Swinton and Barrow.

It was with Leigh that he made his two Great Britain appearances.

But his most fruitful years as a player in the domestic game were in his first of two spells with Warrington, who, under his former Leigh boss Alex Murphy, paid a club record £8,000 to take him to Wilderspool Stadium in 1971.

As a pacy, flamboyant and cheeky ball-playing prop forward, 16-stone Chissie was a perfect fit in a front row that included Kevin Ashcroft and Brian Brady.

Between 1972/73 and 1974/75, durable Chissie was almost an ever-present in a side that handed Warrington its best ever season in terms of trophy success.

The Captain Morgan Trophy, the Player’s No6 Trophy, the Challenge Cup and the Club Championship were all won in 1973/74, adding to the League Leaders’ rose bowl in 1972/73.

In an interview Chissie gave to Warrington Guardian after his career had ended, he said: "It was an incredible honour for me to captain the side at Wembley.

“It was such a huge occasion. I was quite calm after we'd won it the year before (1974) but it was terribly disappointing when we lost."

The move to Swinton was a surprise, coming after he had fallen out with Murphy.

He became something of a journeyman player, spending more time with Leigh, St Helens and Barrow over the next six years before returning to Warrington.

He spent another three seasons in the first team before moving into coaching.

Chissie coached the Alliance teams at Leigh and St Helens before taking up first-team reins for the one and only time at Runcorn.

On the representative scene while with Leigh in 1970, he won caps for Great Britain against Australia and New Zealand.

While at Warrington, Chissie won caps for England against Wales in 1975, against France, Wales, and New Zealand in the 1975 World Cup, and against Papua New Guinea (non-test) in 1975.