From the time he first appeared in representative rugby as an 18-year-old in the Auckland union's centenary fixture against a President's XV in 1983 there was a special romance to the career of John Kirwan.

For one, there was his family pedigree that was rich in rugby heritage. His grandfather was Jack Kirwan, a postal worker who hailed from Reefton on the West Coast and who had many shifts about the country. He was a five eighths in the Hawke's Bay side when the Ranfurly Shield was lifted from Wellington in 1922.

After he moved to Auckland, a difference of opinion over compensation for loss of wages while playing provincial rugby led to a transfer to league, in which code he became a Kiwi. The rugby genes were also strong on the other side of his family. Kirwan's mother was a Hedge, a noted Otahuhu family who provided many Auckland representatives.

The other diverting aspect to Kirwan's rugby rise was the circumstances of Kirwan's first class debut. For the Auckland selector of the time, John Hart, plucked him straight from the Marist third grade side, his rare talent having been spotted by two of Hart's "scouts," former All Blacks Paul Little and Eric Boggs.

Kirwan performed with astonishing maturity, not only in his Auckland debut but in the entire 1983 season for Auckland and the New Zealand Colts. At nearly 1.90m and strongly built he was unusually tall for a wing in those years and coupled with that was his considerable pace and determination.

But for concerns over his age he might well have gone on the 1983 All Black tour of Scotland and England. It was, however, only a matter of time before an All Black jersey came his way and after an impressive trial he made his test debut against France at Christchurch's Lancaster Park in 1984.

The 19-year-old was soon to learn that knockbacks and disappointments were a constant companion of even the best international sportsmen. His 1984 season ended in disappointment and frustration when he was ruled out of the All Blacks' tour of Australia with a serious shoulder injury in only the second match.

Even though he was to enjoy a long playing career, injuries continued to plague Kirwan. He was always prone to hamstring problems because of strains imposed on his back by his rapid growth in his teenage years. Between the ages of 15 and 16 he shot up an incredible 30cms. And the worst of his injuries came on the 1989 tour of Wales and Ireland when he suffered a ruptured achilles tendon.

But from 1985 through to 1992, apart from when he was injured, Kirwan was pretty well an automatic All Black selection, with his golden years being the three seasons between 1986 and 1988.

In subsequent years age, injuries and his frequent off-seasons spent playing overseas, especially in Italy, removed some of his edge, even if he remained a world-class wing who, in 1992, became the first All Black back to reach the 50-test milestone.

At his peak, in the seasons between 1986 and 1988, Kirwan was magnificent and irresistible, exceeding in those years even his great Australian rival, David Campese.

Because of his father's ill health he declined to tour South Africa with the Cavaliers in 1986. Instead he became one of the fabled Baby Blacks in their sensational win over France at Lancaster Park.

In 1987 he was a star of the All Blacks' World Cup, his length of the field run for a try against Italy being an enduring image from that tournament. He also scored a crucial try despite being in agony with a hamstring injury in the final against France.

His greatest year, certainly in terms of tryscoring, was in 1988 when in five tests, against Wales and Australia, he scored a tally of 10 tries.

If not quite so dominant, Kirwan remained a world-class player for the rest of his career and when he finished with the All Blacks in 1994 his 63 tests had brought him 35 tries, which was then the New Zealand record. In his entire first class career, which also ended in 1994, he had finished with 199 tries, only being denied 200 because his swansong match for New Zealand Barbarians was not granted official status.

Over the latter stages of his All Black career, Kirwan was often at odds with the coaching of Laurie Mains and Earle Kirton. He was omitted for a test against the World XV in Wellington in 1992, and dropped for the 1993 tour of England and Scotland and a year later after the series against the Springboks.

But even in his latter years Kirwan was capable of brilliance and as well as a glittering international career Kirwan was a prominent contributor to Auckland's champion Ranfurly Shield and NPC teams of 1985-93. In the 1993 defence against North Otago at Oamaru Kirwan scored a record eight tries and the 40 points he scored are the most in any shield match.

Kirwan had no sooner retired from rugby in 1994 than he was lured back, partly, it might be suspected, from the publicity it generated, to play for the Warriors in their first two seasons in Australian league in 1995-96. Kirwan was past his best but still played with competence and professionalism.

He then spent time as a player-coach in Japan, had a stint with only mixed success as a manager and assistant coach with the Blues in the Super 12, before returning to Italy where, in 2002, he became the national team's coach.

It is too soon to say whether Kirwan the coach will match the deeds of Kirwan the player. He was mighty beyond any doubt, ranking with Jonah Lomu and Jeff Wilson as the greatest wings of All Black rugby, certainly in the modern era.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

John James Kirwan

BORN

Wednesday, 16 December 1964 in Auckland

AGE

45

PHYSICAL

1.92m, 92kg

POSITION

Wing three-quarter

LAST SCHOOL

De La Salle College

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Auckland Marist

PROVINCE

Auckland

RUGBY NICKNAME

JK

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Saturday, 16 June 1984
v France at Christchurch
aged 19 years, 183 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 16 June 1984
v France at Christchurch
aged 19 years, 183 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 6 August 1994
v South Africa at Auckland
aged 29 years, 233 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

63 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

33 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

96 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

143pts (35t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

132pts (32t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

275pts (67t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

854

The All Black Games that Kirwan played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1984

 16 Jun vs France at Christchurch 10-9  

 23 Jun vs France at Auckland 31-18  

 7 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 37-10 (-) 

1985

 1 Jun vs England at Christchurch 18-13  

 8 Jun vs England at Wellington 42-15  

 29 Jun vs Australia at Auckland 10-9  

 12 Oct vs Club Athletico San Isidro at Buenos Aires 22-9  

 19 Oct vs Buenos Aires Selection at Buenos Aires 31-13  

 26 Oct vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 33-20  

 2 Nov vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 21-21  

1986

 28 Jun vs France at Christchurch 18-9  

 9 Aug vs Australia at Wellington 12-13  

 23 Aug vs Australia at Dunedin 13-12  

 6 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 9-22  

 21 Oct vs French Selection at Strasbourg 42-12  

 26 Oct vs Selection du Centre at Clermont-Ferrand 23-19  

 1 Nov vs Rousillon-Languedoc Selection at Perpignan 59-6  

 4 Nov vs Cote Basque Selection at Bayonne 21-9  

 8 Nov vs France at Toulouse 19-7  

 15 Nov vs France at Nantes 3-16  

1987

 22 May vs Italy at Auckland 70-6  

 27 May vs Fiji at Christchurch 74-13  

 1 Jun vs Argentina at Wellington 46-15  

 6 Jun vs Scotland at Christchurch 30-3  

 14 Jun vs Wales at Brisbane 49-6  

 20 Jun vs France at Auckland 29-9  

 25 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 30-16  

 21 Oct vs Japan 'B' at Tokyo 94-0 (-) 

 25 Oct vs Japan at Osaka 74-0  

 1 Nov vs Japan at Tokyo 106-4  

 4 Nov vs J.R.U. Presidents XV at Tokyo 38-9  

1988

 28 May vs Wales at Christchurch 52-3  

 11 Jun vs Wales at Auckland 54-9  

 19 Jun vs Western Australia at Perth 60-3  

 22 Jun vs Randwick RFC at Sydney 25-9  

 26 Jun vs Australia 'B' at Brisbane 28-4  

 3 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 32-7  

 6 Jul vs A.C.T. at Queanbeyan 16-3  

 10 Jul vs Queensland at Brisbane 27-12  

 16 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 19-19  

 23 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 42-6  

 26 Jul vs Victorian Invitation XV at Melbourne 84-8  

 30 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 30-9  

1989

 17 Jun vs France at Christchurch 25-17  

 1 Jul vs France at Auckland 34-20  

 15 Jul vs Argentina at Dunedin 60-9  

 29 Jul vs Argentina at Wellington 49-12  

 5 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 24-12  

 8 Oct vs British Columbia at Vancouver 48-3  

 14 Oct vs Cardiff at Cardiff 25-15  

 18 Oct vs Pontypool at Pontypool 47-6 (-) 

1990

 16 Jun vs Scotland at Dunedin 31-16  

 23 Jun vs Scotland at Auckland 21-18  

 21 Jul vs Australia at Christchurch 21-6  

 4 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 27-17  

 18 Aug vs Australia at Wellington 9-21  

 20 Oct vs Languedoc Selection at Narbonne 22-6  

 24 Oct vs A French XV at Brive 27-24  

 30 Oct vs Cote Basque-Landes at Bayonne 12-18  

 3 Nov vs France at Nantes 24-3  

 10 Nov vs France at Paris 30-12  

1991

 19 Jun vs Cordoba at Cordoba 38-9  

 22 Jun vs Buenos Aires at Buenos Aires 37-9  

 25 Jun vs Tucuman at Tucuman 21-9  

 29 Jun vs Argentina 'B' at Buenos Aires 22-6 (-) 

 13 Jul vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 36-6  

 10 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 12-21  

 24 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 6-3  

 3 Oct vs England at London 18-12  

 13 Oct vs Italy at Leicester 31-21  

 20 Oct vs Canada at Lille 29-13  

 27 Oct vs Australia at Dublin 6-16  

 30 Oct vs Scotland at Cardiff 13-6  

1992

 18 Apr vs World XV at Christchurch 14-28  

 22 Apr vs World XV at Wellington 54-26 (+) 

 25 Apr vs World XV at Auckland 26-15  

 30 May vs Ireland at Dunedin 24-21  

 6 Jun vs Ireland at Wellington 59-6  

 24 Jun vs South Australian Invitation XV at Adelaide 48-18  

 28 Jun vs N.S.W. at Sydney 41-9  

 4 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 15-16  

 12 Jul vs Queensland at Brisbane 26-19  

 19 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 17-19  

 25 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 26-23  

 1 Aug vs Natal at Durban 43-25  

 8 Aug vs Junior South Africa at Pretoria 25-10  

 15 Aug vs South Africa at Johannesburg 27-24  

1993

 26 Jun vs British & Irish Lions at Wellington 7-20  

 3 Jul vs British & Irish Lions at Auckland 30-13  

 17 Jul vs Australia at Dunedin 25-10  

 31 Jul vs Samoa at Auckland 35-13  

1994

 26 Jun vs France at Christchurch 8-22  

 3 Jul vs France at Auckland 20-23  

 9 Jul vs South Africa at Dunedin 22-14  

 23 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 13-9  

 6 Aug vs South Africa at Auckland 18-18  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs England, 8 Jun 1985

1

-

-

-

4

vs Club Athletico San Isidro, 12 Oct 1985

1

-

-

-

4

vs Buenos Aires Selection, 19 Oct 1985

1

-

-

-

4

vs Argentina, 26 Oct 1985

2

-

-

-

8

vs Argentina, 2 Nov 1985

2

-

-

-

8

vs French Selection, 21 Oct 1986

1

-

-

-

4

vs Rousillon-Languedoc Selection, 1 Nov 1986

1

-

-

-

4

vs Italy, 22 May 1987

2

-

-

-

8

vs Fiji, 27 May 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs Wales, 14 Jun 1987

2

-

-

-

8

vs France, 20 Jun 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs Australia, 25 Jul 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs Japan 'B', 21 Oct 1987

2

-

-

-

8

vs Japan, 25 Oct 1987

2

-

-

-

8

vs Japan, 1 Nov 1987

3

-

-

-

12

vs J.R.U. Presidents XV, 4 Nov 1987

2

-

-

-

8

vs Wales, 28 May 1988

4

-

-

-

16

vs Wales, 11 Jun 1988

2

-

-

-

8

vs Western Australia, 19 Jun 1988

3

-

-

-

12

vs Australia 'B', 26 Jun 1988

1

-

-

-

4

vs Australia, 3 Jul 1988

2

-

-

-

8

vs Australia, 16 Jul 1988

1

-

-

-

4

vs Victorian Invitation XV, 26 Jul 1988

3

-

-

-

12

vs Australia, 30 Jul 1988

1

-

-

-

4

vs Argentina, 15 Jul 1989

2

-

-

-

8

vs Argentina, 29 Jul 1989

1

-

-

-

4

vs Pontypool, 18 Oct 1989

1

-

-

-

4

vs Scotland, 16 Jun 1990

2

-

-

-

8

vs Australia, 21 Jul 1990

1

-

-

-

4

vs Cordoba, 19 Jun 1991

1

-

-

-

4

vs Buenos Aires, 22 Jun 1991

3

-

-

-

12

vs Tucuman, 25 Jun 1991

1

-

-

-

4

vs Argentina 'B', 29 Jun 1991

2

-

-

-

8

vs Argentina, 13 Jul 1991

1

-

-

-

4

vs Canada, 20 Oct 1991

1

-

-

-

4

vs World XV, 25 Apr 1992

1

-

-

-

4

vs Ireland, 6 Jun 1992

1

-

-

-

4

vs N.S.W., 28 Jun 1992

1

-

-

-

5

vs Australia, 19 Jul 1992

1

-

-

-

5

vs Natal, 1 Aug 1992

2

-

-

-

10

vs Junior South Africa, 8 Aug 1992

1

-

-

-

5

vs South Africa, 15 Aug 1992

1

-

-

-

5

vs South Africa, 9 Jul 1994

1

-

-

-

5

Totals

67

0

0

0

275

NB: includes three tries at five points

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Argentina

6

5

1

-

8

-

-

-

32

Australia

19

11

1

7

7

-

-

-

29

British & Irish Lions

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Canada

1

1

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

England

3

3

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

Fiji

1

1

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

France

12

9

-

3

1

-

-

-

4

Ireland

2

2

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

Italy

2

2

-

-

2

-

-

-

8

Samoa

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Scotland

4

4

-

-

2

-

-

-

8

South Africa

4

3

1

-

2

-

-

-

10

Wales

3

3

-

-

8

-

-

-

32

World XV

3

2

-

1

1

-

-

-

4

Totals

63

48

3

12

35

0

0

0

143