Sir John Kirwan All Black Tribute
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2015
- After a try-laden career with the All Blacks, Kirwan is already considered a legendary figure within the game. However, he is now hoping to further enhance his reputation as a coach, with Japan. Kirwan was an 18-year-old winger learning his trade with the Marist third grade side when, in 1983, John Hart, on the advice of former All Blacks Paul Little and Eric Boggs, selected him for Auckland union's centenary fixture against a President's XV. Kirwan excelled. It was obvious that Auckland had unearthed a very special talent and, within a year, Kirwan was making his debut for the All Blacks, against France in Christchurch.
The first of the numerous injuries which would blight his career arrived later in the year, before the Kiwis' tour of Australia, but he quickly established himself as an automatic selection in the New Zealand squad.
Indeed, when fully fit, Kirwan was virtually unstoppable. He lit up the inaugural World Cup of 1987, scoring six tries in total, including two in the semi-final rout of Wales and a brace in the final against France. However, the pick of his scores was a stunning, length-of-the-field effort against Italy in the pool stages which announced the arrival of a fresh-faced superstar on the world scene.
There was even better to come, though, from an individual perspective. The following year Kirwan scored a staggering ten tries in five tests, against Wales and Australia.
Though he never quite reached those heights again - persistent hamstring trouble was undoubtedly a key factor in that regard - when Kirwan's international career came to an end in 1994, he had appeared in 63 tests for the All Blacks, scoring 35 tries - then a record.
At club level, he starred in Auckland's champion Ranfurly Shield and NPC teams of 1985 and 93. Indeed, he will forever be remembered for his stunning eight-try haul in the 1993 defence against North Otago at Oamaru.
He regularly lined out for Italian side Treviso during off-seasons in New Zealand and also tried his hand at rugby league, with the Auckland Warriors, before finishing up for good in Japan with NEC Green Rockets in 1999.
A move into coaching followed. He took charge of the Rockets for two years before returning to New Zealand to take up an assistant coaching role with the Auckland Blues.
In 2002, he was appointed Italy head coach and the Azzurri, under his guidance, enjoyed a decent World Cup the following year, racking victories over Tonga and Canada. However, despite an initially promising start to his reign, he was relieved of his duties in 2005 after a Six Nations campaign featuring five successive defeats.
However, he returned to coaching with Japan at the start of 2007 and their dramatic draw with Canada in the World Cup in France later in the year arrested a run of 13 successive defeats for the Cherry Blossoms at the sport's showpiece event.
Under Kirwan's command, Japan dominated the early years of the Asian 5 Nations with four successive titles between 2008 and 2011 but it was a familiar story at the next World Cup where the only highlight was a draw with Canada.
Kirwan parted company with Japan following that tournament and applied to become both England's interim head coach - following the departure of Martin Johnson - and their permanent boss only to be told he lacked experience with a top nation. - Sport
The first power winger, class, speed, power and smarts. Legend.
Paved the way for the wingers of today. Kirwan scored the type of tries that was ahead of his time.
One of the greatest wingers in his time. I remember acting out those tries with my brother playing in the lounge and on the lawn. Sir JK. A legend.
Legend of a winger!
Sensational player.......my personal hero when I was growing up.
Same
Mine as well.
He did what Lomu didn't, score against the Springboks.
Hell yes
Every time he got the ball the crowd went wild!
Without a doubt the reason why most kids in the 80's wanted to play rugby. The original Jonah
Sir John and Terry Wright made me want to be a winger. Lol
Your right
And Michael Jones...
Nowhere near Jonah... Jonah was the biggest global star to ever walk the face of the earth. Watch the p v p trial in 1994 he couldn't even tackle Lomu. If you live in NZ you'll know who comes to.mind first when you think of Rugby
@@blazewonn2460 they made me hate Auckland! LOL
one of the best running wingers I've ever seen... what a incredible human being....
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES J.K LEGEND!! 👍🏆👌🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿
fast and slippery..................one of the great wingers of all time
without a doubt
Great player - well ahead of his time in the late 80's
He'd have to be one of the greatest wingers we've had and we've had a few and yet these younger AB supporters have never heard of the bloke
What a magnificent player and the music is perfect :-)
I have been watching rugby as an Irish fan for just over 50 years and jk is as good as I have ever seen. What a player, must have been a nightmare to play against.
My favorite player as a kid growing up in Cape Town in the 70s and 80s.
From Argentina, my child hero!!!
The first of the really big wingers. Then came Lomu, a phenomenon. But it was JK that set the bar for other big three-quarters to try to emulate. Many fell along the wayside, but JK took it to a whole other level. He was awesome in Rugby League, too. That takes some doing.
Fabulous tries.. he was like a bat out of hell lol .. thanks for this. \o/
wow what a player, great eye for a gap and good footwork
Really good guy too
good, humble man.
simply one of the greats.
Go go go go join Kiwanis yes yes go go!!!
Great effort cousin 👌🏽
Notice how he out paces Campese. Legend.
Yes. He ran around Campese more often that Campese ran around him. Trouble was, on one occasion when Campese ran around Kirwan, it cost us a Rugby World Cup semi-final.
A legend ens of story
the reason i started watching rugby growing up in the 80s as a young samoan kid, the "87" RWC tries against Italy and France, and the try off MJ against the Wallabies, some of my favourites, may the good Lord bless you JK!
Grant Nisbett said it the best, " if they could just get the ball to John Kirwan we should get a try".
That's how good he was.
I can honestly say I GREW up watching 3 of da GREATEST WINGERS TO PLAY DA GAME, SIR JOHN KIRWAN, JONAH LOMU N DAVID CAMPESE, THANK U GENTLEMEN ITS BEEN A PLEASURE
Perfect song bro! Salute to that! 🇳🇿👍
*BIG J.K!* Always felt I had a orgasm when I watched him back in the day. 💪🇳🇿👍
Will be good to a reunion of the 1980s all black team today
He was the man!!
1:33
Hell of a pass from Walter Little (I think) here. Absolute perfection.
The italy try got me interested. His try in the corner in the final, after a david kirk break and a sweet pick up from the ruck from Buck, got me dreaming.
Didn't realise he was quite so tall. Wonderful rangy runner. A gentleman. Don't see so many vids on the Irish lad that played for the ABs Gallagher first tried attacking 15 who played with him
JK, Michael Jones and Buck Shelford used to tear through teams for fun. Coach Brian Lochore said he was working on something called “human locomotion” Nothing showed it more spectacularly than seeing this man redefine what it meant to be a winger. I bought a set of weights after watching him play.
I was waiting to see him smash Chris Oti out of the way against England here, but great tribute man.
3:58
How's the halfback here, throwing a punch at Kirwan while they're both on the deck, in full view of the ref and every single person in the entire stadium.
0:35 Classic michael Jones taking a gap then soaking up at least 2 defenders then offloading Master Class Flanker
Kirwins Burst as he gets the Ball like a primed stallion
Agree completely about Michael Jones. Also, when Kirwan was running that end-to-end try against Italy, look who was the only All Black even keeping up with him.
mike could save a try at one end then be supporting the winger at the other i believe its just his christian values to give 120% too life and it showed in his game to mike rugby is second god and family first.
THE MANNNNNN
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊the Best......
ワールドカップでの独走トライ。
ラグビーするきっかけになった。
I remember that 2nd trie (against Aus) like yesterday. Michael Jones exploding up the middle and JK cruising up in support and even the idiot with the flag stopping him from taking it under the posts.
Concord oval
John McCabe lol yeah bro so do I remember it like yesterday! THANKS J.K!! YOUR THE MAN!! 👍🏆👌🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿
That guy in the flag reminds me of New Zealand in those, when people were more lax about everything. :)
JK, you are one of the greats. No one can ever take that away from you.
awesomE !!!
My first cousin was named after this legend!
Remember him earlier than the clips which are around 87 onward. Prior to 82 when he dislocated his shoulder in Australia he was a freak. His length of the field tries and runs were spectacular. Part of a Auckland side which was unstoppable.
One of the first big wingers with a step.
What a player JK was! One of the great wingers from anywhere, and any time!!
Great video, could be even greater with some try's in an Auckland jersey, especially when he was just coming through as a youngster! Incredible is the only word for it!
Absolutely i think he was 18/19 wen he started playin fr Auckland, MAGIC
Its nice to know that he was an allblacks player and now his son is a allwhites player ^^
growing up in the 80s, it was either Kirwan or Campese you tried to copy and commentary yourself as you side stepped at in at the school fields.
Every kid wanted to be an All Black!
Powerful runner, great upper body strength, well balanced , great foot work, prolific try scorer, an X Factor player who performed at his best when the All Blacks were struggling. Would single handedly turn the game around with storming runs in open space , resulting in a try for the team.
Que Monstruo por Dios!!!! Sensacional!!!!!!!!!!!
God he was amazing!
The king best of all time
JK was the shit in his time and with all the countless Great Wingers and I mean countless Great Wingers we’ve had in the ABs Jonah Lomu and John Kirwan are the Goats ✌🏾
not just kirwan shit some nice plays there and just good lines,
he moved well"
Best try I've ever seen at 0:09 and again different view 4:50
John Kirwan is a much better player than he is a rugby analyst.
3:59 does that halfback take a swing at J.K???? 💀😲
Niko Kirwan portaci in serie B ! Forza Padova
JK Machine 🙌
Just my thoughts but when he was injured in Australia on All Black tour in 84.(shoulder dislocation against NSW I think) he was never the same. Sure he was still freakish, but think he was better early on. Remember think it was 83, his length of the field tries, beating 4,5,6 players at the time was unbelievable.
QUE DE SIR???? SIR!!!
First time to watch john play, I would have him side by side with Jonah lomu.... Equals
Pitty he never played against Carel du Plessis
2:35 In touch
I knew he was good but god dam not that good! Legend
Jk, Jonah......who will be the next destroyer?? It's been awhile!!
King John right wing......Jonah left wing.......Cully full back......my favourite All Black back three.
Did that Welsh player take a swing at him after that try?? That's what it looks like.
That's what I thought, but I can't remember what happened, yet I would've watched it
Smoked campo
Just like the 1991' Semi Final?
It's funny cause a white boy was the original huge brown winger that every AB team now has.
He was the man in the 80s
knighthood for running about.
Knighthood for igniting a nation - to this day - just check the comments : )
I thought that John Kirwan's knighthood was NOT just for services to rugby, but for his services to mental health awareness
pedantic and pathetic comment i know but his foot was in touch when he scored at 2.35. Great player come what may.
gordan ramsey plays rugby
From great wing to great whinger.... damn thats sad.
sped up footage
Rugby players were faster back then
Unfortunately today - with his far out punditry - it’s obvious JK should be taken off air for a HIA!! The guy was great to watch …. But he is so far out there to listen too!
Mate - stay away from rugby comments … it’s sad to watch
John kirwan didn't score the second try against Scotland , his foot was out lucky no video reffs back then lol
FAN of FREEDOM it wasn’t actually given a try. It was called back for shepherding.
Total flop as a coach