View source for John Kirwan (rugby)

{{Short description|New Zealand rugby footballer and coach}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name               = John Kirwan
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|MBE|size=100%}}
| image              = Sir John Kirwan 2013.jpg
| birth_name         = John James Patrick Kirwan
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1964|12|16}}
| birth_place        = [[Auckland]], New Zealand
| occupation         =
| spouse             = 
| children           = 
| school             = {{nowrap|[[De La Salle College, Māngere East]]}}
| relatives          = [[Jack Kirwan (rugby league)|Jack Kirwan]] (grandfather)<br />[[Niko Kirwan]] (son)<br>{{nowrap|[[John Ah Kuoi]] (brother-in-law)}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.akinsurance.co.nz/about-us/about-us-2 |title=John Ah Kuoi at Ah Kuoi Kirwan Insurance |access-date=19 August 2017 |archive-date=19 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130207/https://www.akinsurance.co.nz/about-us/about-us-2 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| height             = {{convert|1.92|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight             = {{convert|92|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| ru_position        = [[Wing (rugby union)|Wing]]
| years1             = 1983–94   | clubs1    = [[Marist Brothers Old Boys RFC|Marist]]
| years2             = 1985–89   | clubs2    = [[Benetton Rugby|Treviso]]
| years3             = 1989–90   | clubs3    = Thiene
| years4             = 1997–99   | clubs4    = [[NEC Green Rockets|NEC]]
| apps1              =           | points1   = 
| apps2              = 60        | points2   = 184
| apps3              =           | points3   = 
| apps4              =           | points4   = 
| repyears1          = 1984–94   | repteam1  = [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]]
| repcaps1           = 63        | reppoints1 = 143
| provinceyears1     = 1983–94   | province1  = [[Auckland Rugby Football Union|Auckland]]
| ru_provinceapps1   = 142       | provincepoints1 = 
| coachyears1        = 1999–2001 | coachteams1 = [[NEC Green Rockets|NEC]]
| coachyears2        = 2001      | coachteams2 = [[Auckland Blues|Blues]] (assistant)
| coachyears3        = 2001–02   | coachteams3 = [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]] (assistant)
| coachyears4        = 2002–05   | coachteams4 = [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]]
| coachyears5        = 2007–11   | coachteams5 = [[Japan national rugby union team|Japan]]
| coachyears6        = 2012      | coachteams6 = [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]]
| coachyears7        = 2013–15   | coachteams7 = [[Blues (Super Rugby)|Blues]]
| ru_coachupdate     = 18 November 2013 
| module             = {{infobox rugby league biography
| embed              = yes
| position           = {{rlp|WG}}
| club1              = [[Auckland Warriors]]
| year1start         = 1995
| year1end           = 96
| appearances1       = 35
| tries1             = 13
| goals1             = 0
| fieldgoals1        = 0
| points1            = 52
}}
}}

'''Sir John James Patrick Kirwan''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|MBE}} (born 16 December 1964) is a New Zealand [[mental health]] advocate, former [[rugby union]] and [[rugby league]] footballer, and former [[rugby union]] coach.

A wing, he played for [[Auckland Rugby Football Union|Auckland]] in the 1980s and 1990s, when they dominated New Zealand rugby. He played in 63 tests for [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]], and scored 35 [[rugby try|tries]], making him one of the [[List of leading Rugby union Test try scorers|highest try scorers in international rugby union history]]. He was part of the New Zealand team that won the first [[Rugby World Cup]] in [[1987 Rugby World Cup|1987]]. He also played rugby league for the [[Auckland Warriors]] in their first two seasons in 1995 and 1996.

After retiring, he moved into coaching, and was the head coach of Japanese club [[NEC Green Rockets|NEC]], the [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]] and [[Japan national rugby union team|Japan]] national teams, and the [[Auckland Blues|Blues]] in [[Super Rugby]], until he stepped down in 2015.

He has written two books on the subject of mental health, has spoken openly about his battles with [[depression (mood)|depression]] and been honoured for his services to mental health.

==Early life and family==
Kirwan was born in [[Auckland]] on 16 December 1964, the son of Patrick and Patricia Madeline Kirwan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary.aspx?n=patricia-madeline-kirwan-pat&pid=191583525 |title=Patricia Madeline (Pat) Kirwan death notice |work= [[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=19 February 2019 |access-date=19 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="AB profile"/> He was educated at [[De La Salle College, Mangere East|De La Salle College]] in Auckland.<ref name="AB profile">{{cite web| url = http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=467|title =John Kirwan| last = Knight| first = Lindsay| publisher = New Zealand Rugby Museum| access-date = 19 March 2014}}</ref>

His paternal grandfather, [[Jack Kirwan (rugby)|Jack Kirwan]], was a wing three-quarter/five-eighths originally from [[Reefton]] who played for the [[New Zealand rugby league team|New Zealand]] rugby league team on 28 occasions.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

==Playing career==
{{BLP sources section|date=July 2023}}

===Rugby union===
Kirwan played for [[Marist Brothers Old Boys RFC]] and [[Auckland RFU|Auckland]] domestically, winning 142 caps with the latter during an era when the side dominated the [[National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)|NPC]] and [[Ranfurly Shield]].

From 1985 to 1989 he also played in Italy, with [[Benetton Rugby|Benetton Treviso]], where he won the [[Top12|Italian championship]] in 1989. Also in the Treviso team was the [[All Black]] [[Craig Green (rugby union)|Craig Green]], Kirwan's teammate in the [[1987 Rugby World Cup|1987 World Cup]] won by New Zealand.

After his spell in rugby league, he finished his rugby union playing career with [[NEC Green Rockets|NEC]] in Japan from 1997 to 1999.

====International====
Kirwan played 63 test matches for [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]] from 1984 until 1994. Kirwan played a major role in the All Blacks' 23-test unbeaten run from 1987 to 1990, including winning the [[1987 Rugby World Cup|1987 World Cup]]. He scored 10 tries in five tests against Wales and Australia during 1988. In all he scored 35 test tries for New Zealand. He also scored 67 tries in all appearances with the All Blacks (including non test matches) which is still the national record. His total of 199 first class tries remains a New Zealand record.

Kirwan was selected as one of the "Five players of the year" for the 1985,1986, 1987 and 1988 seasons, in the Rugby Almanack of New Zealand.

In 1986 Kirwan and [[David Kirk]] were the only All Blacks not to join the 'rebel' [[New Zealand Cavaliers]] team that travelled to [[apartheid]]-era South Africa after a New Zealand court held that the All Blacks' playing in that country would be inconsistent with their mission of promoting rugby. As a result, he and Kirk were the only ones not barred from playing with the All Blacks after the tour.

===Rugby league===
At age 30 Kirwan signed for the newly formed [[rugby league]] club [[Auckland Warriors]] for the [[1995 ARL season]], with a mutual option for 1996.<ref>{{cite news|last=Steve Mascord and Wynne Gray|title=Kirwan switch a coup for Warriors|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=news950308_0020_9254|access-date=9 September 2013|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=8 March 1995}}</ref> Playing on the wing, Kirwan was the Warriors' top try scorer in the [[1996 Auckland Warriors season|1996 season]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Koslowski|first=Michael|title=Worrier Kirwan blows one, makes two|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=news950423_0122_2225|access-date=9 September 2013|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=23 April 1995}}</ref> He was a staunch opponent of the ARL during the [[Super League war]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Mascord|first=Steve|title=Breakaway club in Paris a possibility for Kirwan|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=news960226_0140_0182|access-date=9 September 2013|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=26 February 1996}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
{{BLP sources section|date=July 2023}}
Kirwan coached [[NEC Green Rockets]] in Japan, and in 2001 became an assistant coach with the [[Blues (Super Rugby)|Auckland Blues]].

In 2002, he moved to Italy to become the coach of the [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy national 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 dismissed on 8 April 2005. He continued to work as a consultant with NEC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/kirwan-to-coach-japan/|title = Kirwan to coach Japan| date=26 October 2006 }}</ref>

At the start of 2007 he was appointed the coach of the [[Japan national rugby union team]]. 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." At the [[2007 Rugby World Cup]], Japan drew 12–12 with Canada, breaking a 16-year, 13-match losing streak at World Cups. Kirwan remained head coach of Japan through the [[2011 Rugby World Cup]], when they again drew with Canada, but lost to New Zealand, France and Tonga.

In July 2012, Kirwan was announced as the new coach of the [[Blues (Super Rugby)|Blues]]. In the 2013 and 2014 seasons, the Blues finished in 10th place. After re-applying for the role for 2016 and beyond, he was forced to step down following just three wins - an all-time franchise low - in the 2015 season. In 2018 he stated that he is not likely to coach again.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/105035718/nz-rugby-great-sir-john-kirwan-doubts-he-will-coach-again-as-blues-experience-takes-its-toll|title=NZ rugby great Sir John Kirwan doubts he will coach again as Blues experience takes its toll|date=26 June 2018}}</ref>

==Health==
Kirwan has openly spoken of his battle with depression, and is actively involved in mental health and depression awareness campaigns in New Zealand. He has written about his depression in the books ''All Blacks Don't Cry'' and ''Stand by Me''.<ref>{{Cite book
| publisher = Penguin
| last = Kirwan
| first = John
| title = All Black's don't cry : a story of hope
| location = North Shore, N.Z.
| year = 2010
| isbn = 978-0-14-320480-0
}}</ref>

He established the Sir John Kirwan Foundation to help young people understand mental health. In 2020, he launched a mental wellbeing app called Mentemia.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

==Personal life==
Kirwan is married to Fiorella, and they have three children, including  [[Niko Kirwan|Niko]], who has played football for the [[New Zealand men's national football team|All Whites]], New Zealand's national team,<ref name="Niko">{{Cite news|url=http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/03/john-kirwan-s-son-niko-set-to-name-in-all-whites-squad-reports.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310135918/http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/03/john-kirwan-s-son-niko-set-to-name-in-all-whites-squad-reports.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 March 2018|title=John Kirwan's son Niko set to be named in All Whites squad - reports|work=[[Newshub]] |access-date=2018-03-10|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/athlete/53313/kirwan-luca |title=Luca Kirwan |publisher=World Rowing |access-date=26 May 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224232415/http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/athlete/53313/kirwan-luca |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kirwan speaks fluent Italian and good Japanese, having lived in Italy and Japan.

In 2016, Kirwan's DNA heritage was investigated for a television programme, in which links to the Irish-American [[Kennedy family]] and Scottish mountaineer [[Alexander Kellas]] were shown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/98678030/John-Kirwan-unlocks-family-secrets-on-DNA-Detectives  |title= John Kirwan unlocks family secrets on DNA Detectives |publisher=Stuff (Fairfax) |date=15 November 2017}}</ref>

==Honours and awards==
In the [[1989 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|1989 New Year Honours]], Kirwan was appointed a Member of the [[Order of the British Empire]], for services to rugby.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=51580 |date=31 December 1988 |page=34 |supp=3}}</ref>

In the [[2007 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2007 Queen's Birthday Honours]], Kirwan was appointed an [[New Zealand Order of Merit|Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit]], for services to mental health.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2007 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2007 |date=4 June 2007 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref> In the [[2012 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2012 Queen's Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours]], he was promoted to [[Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]], for services to mental health and rugby.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Queen's Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours List 2012|url=http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/node/1045|work=New Zealand Honours Lists|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|access-date=30 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604202359/http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/node/1045|archive-date=4 June 2012}}</ref>

Also in 2012, Kirwan was inducted into the [[New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*''The outdoors cookbook: John Kirwan & [[Annabel Langbein]]'s favourite barbecue and grill recipes'' (1989) {{ISBN|0-908757-06-9}}
*''Kirwan: running on instinct'' (1992) {{ISBN|1-86947-107-5}}
*''Why I am: a bag full of wisdom to take on the road'' (c1999) {{ISBN|1-86953-440-9}}
*''All Blacks Don’t Cry: A Story of Hope'' (2010) {{ISBN|978-0-14-320480-0}}

==External links==
* {{ESPNscrum}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box
| before={{flagicon|NZL}} [[Brad Johnstone]]
| title=[[Italy national rugby union team#Coaches|Italy National Rugby Union Coach]]
| years=2002&ndash;2005
| after={{flagicon|FRA}} [[Pierre Berbizier]]}}
{{succession box
| before={{flagicon|Japan}} [[Osamu Ota]] (caretaker)
| title=[[Japan national rugby union team#Coaches|Japan national rugby union coach]]
| years=2007&ndash;2011
| after={{flagicon|Australia}} [[Eddie Jones (rugby union)|Eddie Jones]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Overseas Unions XV}}
{{All Blacks Squad 1987 World Cup}}
{{All Blacks Squad 1991 World Cup}}
{{Italy Squad 2003 World Cup}}
{{Japan Squad 2007 World Cup}}
{{Japan Squad 2011 Rugby World Cup}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirwan, John}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1987 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:Auckland rugby union players]]
[[Category:Benetton Rugby players]]
[[Category:Expatriate rugby union coaches]]
[[Category:Green Rockets Tokatsu players]]
[[Category:Italy national rugby team coaches]]
[[Category:Japan national rugby team coaches]]
[[Category:Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:Mental health activists]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Italy]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Japan]]
[[Category:New Zealand international rugby union players]]
[[Category:New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Irish descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby league players]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby union coaches]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby union players]]
[[Category:New Zealand Warriors players]]
[[Category:People educated at De La Salle College, Māngere East]]
[[Category:Rugby football people awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Auckland]]
[[Category:Rugby league wingers]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Auckland]]
[[Category:Rugby union wings]]
[[Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen]]