Phil Kearns
| Full name | Philip Nicholas Kearns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 27 June 1967 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Newington College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Sports commentator | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Philip Nicholas Kearns AM (born 27 June 1967) is a former Australian rugby union player. He represented the Wallabies 67 times and was captain on ten occasions. He commentates on rugby for the Fox Sports TV channel.
Biography
Kearns was born in Sydney Australia and educated at Newington College (1979–84)[1] and the University of New South Wales where he graduated with an Arts degree, majoring in Economics.[2] He played his provincial rugby for New South Wales.
He made his Wallaby debut in 1989. He enjoyed a rivalry on the pitch with New Zealand's Sean Fitzpatrick. During one Bledisloe Cup match he scored a try by barging through Fitzpatrick and then made a two fingered gesture to him and saying something which most TV watchers thought they could lip read. Kearns insisted he said "Two sausages at tonight's barbecue please". The catalyst for this incident was from the previous season when Fitzpatrick sledged Kearns without mercy, telling him to "Go home to your Mummy". He was a member of Australia's Rugby World Cup-winning teams of 1991 and 1999, becoming one of only twenty dual Rugby World Cup winners. Although he was injured mid-way through the 1999 tournament he is one of only six players to be twice involved in a World Cup-winning side.
In October 2005 in the driveway of his home, Kearns accidentally ran over his 19-month-old daughter, Andie.[3] After a long hospital stay, his daughter made a full recovery. Kearns later launched a driveway safety campaign.[2][4]
Honours
Kearns was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2017 for significant service to the community through support for charitable organisations, to business, and to rugby union at the elite level.[5]
References
- ↑ Register of Past Students 1863–1998. Sydney: Newington College. 1999. p. 105.
- 1 2 Schmidt, Lucinda (19 May 2010). "Profile - Phil Kearns". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ "Daughter in critical condition after accident". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ↑ Driveway safety a priority, says Kearns, Channel 9 news, 12 Jan 2006
- ↑ It's an Honour Retrieved 29 January 2017.
External links
| Sporting positions | ||
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| Preceded by Michael Lynagh |
Australian national rugby union captain 1992-1995 |
Succeeded by Rod McCall |