Ian Kirkpatrick
Encyclopedia
Ian Andrew Kirkpatrick is a former New Zealand rugby union
player, who was captain of the All Blacks
.
Kirkpatrick began his first-class career in 1966 at the age of 20 playing for Poverty Bay
. One year later in he moved to Canterbury
and established himself in the local provincial team. Later that year, he made his international debut for the All Blacks against France
in Paris.
In the next ten years, Kirkpatrick would appear for the All Blacks in 39 International Tests (9 as captain) scoring 16 tries which would remain a national record until Stu Wilson surpassed this total in 1983.
In his extensive provincial career, he scored 115 tries in his 289 first class games, becoming one of the few forwards to reach the century. He was also the only man to have captained both islands: the South in 1969 in his last season with Canterbury and then the North (in 1972-73) when he had returned home to Poverty Bay. He also appeared in 33 Ranfurly Shield
matches for Canterbury.
In 2003, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, who was captain of the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
.
Kirkpatrick began his first-class career in 1966 at the age of 20 playing for Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
. One year later in he moved to Canterbury
Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...
and established himself in the local provincial team. Later that year, he made his international debut for the All Blacks against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in Paris.
In the next ten years, Kirkpatrick would appear for the All Blacks in 39 International Tests (9 as captain) scoring 16 tries which would remain a national record until Stu Wilson surpassed this total in 1983.
In his extensive provincial career, he scored 115 tries in his 289 first class games, becoming one of the few forwards to reach the century. He was also the only man to have captained both islands: the South in 1969 in his last season with Canterbury and then the North (in 1972-73) when he had returned home to Poverty Bay. He also appeared in 33 Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
matches for Canterbury.
In 2003, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame
International Rugby Hall of Fame
The International Rugby Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for rugby union. It was created in 1997 in New Zealand and is run as a charitable trust with an address at Chiswick in London. Most of the trustees are also inductees. IRHOF accepts new inductees every two years...
.