| Full name | David Edward Kirk | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 5, 1860 | ||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Weight | 73 kg (11 st 7 lb) | ||
| School | Wanganui Collegiate | ||
| University | University of Otago, University of Oxford |
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| Occupation(s) | Chief Executive Officer/Director of Rugby | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Scrum Half | ||
| New Zealand No. | 843 | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1982–1984 1985–1987 |
Otago Auckland |
||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1983-1987 | New Zealand | 17 | (24) |
| correct as of 8 February 2007. | |||
David Edward Kirk, MBE, (born 5 October 1960 in Wellington; grew up in Palmerston North ), is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He is best known for having been the captain of the All Blacks when they won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
He was awarded an MBE in 1987 for services to Rugby.
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Kirk was educated at Russell Street School, Wanganui Collegiate School and Selwyn College at the University of Otago, where he graduated with a medical degree MBChB.
Kirk played provincial rugby for Otago and Auckland, and first toured with the All Blacks in 1983.
He stood out from his fellow players as "urbane, articulate and thoughtful"[1], and when the planned 1986 All Black tour to South Africa was cancelled David and John Kirwan were the only two players to refuse to join the rebel "Cavaliers" team on moral grounds—he felt that it would give comfort to the apartheid regime. With the rebels banned from playing in the next two All Black test he captained the so-called "Baby Blacks". On the return of the rebels however, his position was uncomfortable and he was lucky to retain his place in the squad. Despite this, when original captain Andy Dalton had to withdraw with an injury,[1] Kirk was made captain—and led New Zealand to victory over France in the 1987 Rugby World Cup Final.
Kirk abruptly retired from competitive rugby after the World Cup win, at the age of 26, to take up a Rhodes Scholarship at Worcester College, Oxford with a degree in PPE.
After his studies at Oxford, he returned to New Zealand, becoming the coach of the Wellington NPC team in 1993 and 1994 and also a media commentator. A National Party member, sought the party's nomination for the 1992 Tamaki by-election, losing to Clem Simich.[2] Kirk was also a staffer for Prime Minister Jim Bolger, and worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.
From October 2005 to December 2008 he was Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Media—publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review in Australia; and The Dominion Post and The Christchurch Press in New Zealand. On occasions he was also a journalist for Fairfax - commentating on rugby when regular journalists are on strike.
On 5 December 2008, Fairfax Media announced that David Kirk was stepping down as CEO effective immediately.[3]
His most recent involvement with rugby came in late 2009, when he led an independent arbitration panel appointed by SANZAR to settle an impasse between its three member unions (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia) over whether the planned 15th franchise in the Super Rugby competition would be awarded to Australia or South Africa, Ultimately, Melbourne was chosen and began play in 2011.
On 24 October 2011, Kirk was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame alongside all other Rugby World Cup-winning captains and head coaches from the tournament's inception in 1987 through to 2007 (minus the previously inducted John Eales).[4]
He is currently Chairman of the Board at The Hoyts Group, a position he has held since July 2009 and Chairman of the Board at Trade Me Group.[5]
Tests: 17 (11 as Captain)
Games: 17 (0 as Captain)
Total Matches: 34 (11 as Captain)
Test Points: 24pts (6t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
Game Points: 44pts (11t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
Total Points: 68pts (17t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
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