Robert Irving (rugby league)

Robert Irving
Personal information
Full name Robert A. Irving
Nickname Bob
Born 15 February 1948
Huddersfield, England
Died 18 April 1999 (aged 51)
Blackpool, England
Playing information
Position Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1965–73 Oldham 296 80 0 0 240
1973–77 Wigan 142 37 0 0 111
1977–≥77 Salford
Barrow
Swinton
Total 438 117 0 0 351
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Yorkshire
1975 England 3 0 0 0 0
1967–72 Great Britain 11 0 0 0 0
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

Robert "Bob" A. Irving (15 February 1948 — 18 April 1999) born in Castle Hill, Huddersfield, was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1960s and '70s. A Great Britain and England international, and Yorkshire representative Second-row, he played at club level for Oldham, Wigan, Salford, Barrow, Blackpool Borough, and Swinton during the era of contested scrums, he died in Blackpool.

Irving was signed by Oldham from Huddersfield's amateur side St. Joseph's at 16 years of age and within weeks was playing in the first team.[1]

Playing career

International honours

Irving won caps for England while at Wigan in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup against Wales, France, and Australia,[2] and won caps for Great Britain while at Oldham in 1967 against France (2 matches), and Australia (3 matches), in 1970 against Australia (sub), and New Zealand, in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France (sub), and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against New Zealand, and Australia (sub).[3]

County Cup final appearances

Bob Irving played Right-Second-row, i.e. number 12, in Oldham's 13-16 defeat by Wigan in the 1966 Lancashire Cup final during the 1966–67 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 October 1966, and played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in the 2-30 defeat by St. Helens in the 1968 Lancashire Cup final during the 1968–69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Friday 25 October 1968, played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in Wigan's 19-9 victory over Salford in the 1973 Lancashire Cup final during the 1973–74 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973,[4] and played Right-Prop, i.e. number 10, in the 13-16 defeat by Workington Town in the 1977 Lancashire Cup final during the 1977–78 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1977.

Honoured at Oldham

Robert Irving is an Oldham Hall Of Fame Inductee.[5]

Outside of rugby league

Irving was a hotelier in Blackpool, and studied for a degree, becoming a senior lecturer in business studies at Blackpool and The Fylde College. He was active in the Catholic Church, and undertook charity work in his spare time, regularly manning a soup kitchen for homeless and displaced people. He died aged 51, in 1999, following a heart attack.[6]

Note

The "Tracking down the heroes of 1972" reference misstates his year of death as 2002, it was 1999.[6] The "Obituary: Bob Irving at independent.co.uk" reference misstates his month of birth as December, it was February.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Hughes, Ed (31 October 2004). "Caught in Time: Great Britain prepare for 1972 rugby league World Cup final". The Sunday Times (UK: Times Newspapers Ltd). Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "1973–1974 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Oldham Hall of Fame". orl-heritagetrust.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Tracking down the heroes of 1972". bbc. 22 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Obituary: Bob Irving at independent.co.uk". independent.co.uk. 27 April 1999. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

External links