John Kirwan knighted – Rugby News Update
John Kirwan, or now Sir John Kirwan, the 47-year-old former New Zealand winger, has been knighted by the Queen and joins an elite group of former All Blacks players who have the honour.
He joins Sir Wilson Whineray, Sir Colin Meads, Sir Brian Lochore, Sir John Graham, the late Sir Fred Allen and Sir Graham Henry, as players/coaches that have been bestowed with knighthood.
Kirwan received the honour for his outstanding displays on the playing field, and more important for his work on mental health issues, a problem he has faced as well. Kirwan suffered from depression and he has been trying to raise awareness about the issue.
''I'm sure it's a combination but the mental health side of it outweighs the rugby,'' Kirwan told
Fairfax Media. ''I'm certainly proud of the rugby stuff I've achieved but the work that I'm continuing to do with mental health is a very strong part of my life.''
Kirwan is one of the legends of New Zealand rugby, having represented the All Blacks 63 times during his career that spanned a decade with the national team. He made his debut against France at Christchurch, on June 16, 1984, having only been drafted into
the Auckland team a year earlier in 1983.
He was unstoppable on his day and his record of 35 tries in 63 matches is outstanding, scoring a try in every 1.8 match. He made his final bow for the All Blacks against South Africa at Auckland, on August 6, 1994. Kirwan won the 1987 World Cup, scoring
six tries at the tournament, including a brace in the final.
The former winger spoke about the need to cause awareness about mental health issues, and he feels that his knighthood will bring the issue to further light.
He said, ''Hopefully this knighthood will give people hope, strength and encouragement, because when you're unwell it's pretty dark. Hopefully this will continue to add to the work, help people understand the illness and continue to break down the stigma.''
Kirwan has also coached the Italians and Japanese and is keen to return to New Zealand for a coaching stint.
Tags: