Rugby historian Frédéric Humbert sent us an excellent bit of Olympic rugby history and one that certainly belongs into the Olympic hall of fame at that.

The story of Daniel Carroll who was three times rugby Olympic champion! Believe it! He won the rugby Olympics in 1908 with Australia, then emigrated and played again many years later in 1920 also taking Gold, this time with the USA and he did the same for an amazing third time in 1924 with the USA this time as coach.

Here is Daniel Carroll, not even 20, the youngest member of the 1908 Wallabies squad which won rugby Gold medal at 1908 Olympic Games. He was said to be a fast winger and scored two tries during the final vs Cornwall which represented Great Britain - Australia dominated and the final score was 32-3.

In 1912, Carroll toured in California with the Wallabies and stayed to study geology at Standford where he graduated in 1920, aged 32. He had served in the US Army during WW1 before. At Stanford, he played and coached rugby and because of his outstanding rugby background, he was selected as player and coach of the US rugby Olympic squad for the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp where he earned a second gold medal for the USA.

Four years later, having settled in California, he coached the US rugby Olympic team in Paris and won a third gold medal for the States.

This pictures shows Carroll (far right) 16 years on as part of the 1924 US squad training in England before the Olympic games in Paris.

If you want to read more get Spiro Zavos' 'Dan Carroll : rugby's greatest Olympian' for a full bio and more detail or check out Pierre Vitalien's book about rugby at the Olympics.

Visit rugby-pioneers.com for more rugby history gems.