A sports journalist who served his hometown newspaper for 46 years has died suddenly.

Tributes have been paid to Robin Davey, former chief rugby writer for the South Wales Argus.

Robin, who was in his 70s, worked for the Newport-based Argus between 1965 and his retirement in 2011.

During that time, he covered the fortunes of Newport RFC, Pontypool RFC, Newport-based side Dragons, Wales and the British and Irish Lions.

Robin, pictured, joined the Argus straight from school and moved to cover sport full-time in 1969.

Mike Dams, a former Newport RFC historian, told the Argus: “I am very saddened to hear of Robin’s passing.

“My first memory of him was from reading the South Wales Argus many years ago where his reports on Newport RFC became compulsive reading.

“I often read the back page first. What Robin said was not to everyone’s taste but he said it as he saw it.”

Robin covered the inaugural Rugby World Cup Australia in 1987, reporting from subsequent tournaments in South Africa in 1995 and Australia again in 2003.

He attended 300 rugby internationals and received the Welsh Sports Journalist of the Year award in 2008.

Journalist Tony Poole wrote on Twitter: “To most folk he was quite rightly dubbed Mr Gwent Rugby.

“And although retired, still produced some thought-provoking sentiment on regional and international rugby via social media. “