| Full name | John James Patrick Kirwan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 December 1964 | ||
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Weight | 97 kg (15 st 4 lb) | ||
| School | De La Salle College (Auckland) | ||
| Occupation(s) | Rugby union coach | ||
| Rugby league career | |||
| Position | Wing | ||
| Professional clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1995–1996 | Auckland Warriors | 35 | (52) |
| correct as of 7 August 2006. | |||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Wing | ||
| New Zealand No. | 854 | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1997–1999 1986–1990 1983–1994 |
NEC Green Rockets Benetton Treviso Auckland Marist |
||
| correct as of 7 August 2006. | |||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1983–1994 | Auckland | 142 | |
| correct as of 7 August 2006. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1984–1994 | New Zealand | 63 | (143) |
| correct as of 7 August 2006. | |||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 2007–2011 2002–2005 2001 1999–2001 |
Japan Italy Auckland Blues (assist.) NEC Green Rockets |
||
| correct as of 25 October 2006. | |||
| Rugby union career | |||
John James Patrick Kirwan, ONZM, MBE (born 16 December 1964) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, and former All Black, turned coach. With 35 tries in 63 tests for the All Blacks, Kirwan appears on the list of the highest try scorers in Rugby Union history.
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Kirwan was educated at De La Salle College, Mangere East in Auckland.
Kirwan played at wing for 96 appearances (including 63 test matches) as an All Black from 1984 until 1994. Kirwan played a major role in the All Blacks’ 23 test unbeaten run from 1987–1990, scoring 10 tries in five tests against Wales and Australia during 1988. In all he scored 35 test tries for the All Blacks, and 67 tries in total for appearances with the All Blacks, the latter which continues to be the New Zealand record. Kirwan's record of 199 first class tries continues to be the New Zealand record for first class rugby.
Kirwan played rugby league for two seasons in the Australian Rugby League Premiership for the Auckland Warriors before finishing his playing career with the NEC club in Japan.
In 2002, Kirwan moved to Italy to become the coach of the Italian national rugby team, which under his guidance recorded two victories over Wales in 2003 and Scotland in 2004. After a winless 2005 Six Nations campaign, he was relieved of his managerial duties on 8 April 2005.
At the 2003 Rugby World Cup Italy won two games - beating Tonga and Canada in the first round of the tournament.
For a brief period, Kirwan expressed interest at applying for the role of the coach of Wales following Mike Ruddock's resignation, but decided not to pursue this.
At the start of 2007 Kirwan was appointed the coach of the Japan national rugby union team. Interviewed by the Daily Yomiuri, Kirwan said: "The level of rugby has improved greatly in Japan in the last ten years and they did well at the last World Cup. But their recent performances at national level have [not been good]. I want to find that 'Samurai Spirit' that all the players can identify with. And then that style of rugby can start to spread downwards throughout the country." On 9 April 2007 the national team was featured at their first training camp since Kirwan's appointment in the NHK national news, a sign of the growing expectation and interest in his team. He said in front of the camera: "We want to be the world's fittest team". He added that he wanted Japan to play to its strengths which he believed were speed and agility, and to play rugby that "big men don't like."
At the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Japan drew 12-12 with Canada, breaking a 16-year 13-match losing sequence by Japan. John Kirwan coached Japan through the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Kirwan is married to Fiorella Kirwan, with three children Francesca, Niko and Luca. Kirwan commutes to his coaching job in Japan. Kirwan speaks fluent Italian and Japanese, a result of a playing career in Italy and coaching career in Japan. His grandfather Jack Kirwan represented New Zealand in rugby league.
Kirwan has openly spoken of his battle with depression, and is actively involved in mental health and depression awareness campaigns in New Zealand. For his services to these causes, Kirwan was appointed as a Member of the Order of British Empire in 2007. He has written about his depression in the book All Blacks Don't Cry.[1]
He became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 for services to mental health awareness, having in 1989 been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire .[2]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Osamu Ota (caretaker) |
Japan National Rugby Union Coach 2007– |
Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brad Johnstone |
Italy National Rugby Union Coach 2002–2005 |
Succeeded by Pierre Berbizier |
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