View source for Paul Ackford

{{Short description|English rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{ infobox Rugby biography
| image = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|2|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hanover]], [[West Germany]]
| height = {{height|m=1.98|precision=0}}
| weight ={{convert|112|kg|lbs|abbr=on}}
| ru_position = Lock
| amatyears1 = 
| amatteam1 =
| years1 = 
| clubs1 = 
| apps1 = 
| points1 = 
| repyears1 = 1988-1991
| repteam1 = {{nrut|England}}
| repcaps1 = 25
| reppoints1 =4
}}

'''Paul Ackford''' (born 26 February 1958) is an [[England national rugby union team|English]] former [[rugby union]] international who played [[Lock (rugby union)|lock forward]]. He was formerly an inspector in the [[Metropolitan Police]] and a [[columnist]] for ''[[Telegraph Media Group|The Telegraph]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/paulackford/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914125132/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/paulackford/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-09-14 |title=Paul Ackford - Sunday Telegraph's Rugby Union Columnist |work=The Telegraph|access-date=2012-10-03}}</ref>

==Early life==
Ackford was born in [[Hanover]], [[West Germany]].

==Education==
Ackford was educated at [[Plymouth College]], the [[University of Kent]] (BA) and [[Cambridge University]] (MA). He played lock for [[England national rugby union team|England B]] aged 21 and represented [[Cambridge University R.U.F.C.|Cambridge]] in the 1979 [[The Varsity Match|Varsity Match]], but did not make an impact until joining [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]] and the [[Police]] in 1983.

==Rugby career==
After impressing for the London Division against the touring [[Australia national rugby union team|Wallabies]], Ackford made his England debut on 5 November 1988 against Australia, aged 30.

Partnering police constable [[Wade Dooley]], Ackford became an important part of the new side captained by [[Will Carling]]. He went on the [[1989 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia|1989 Lions Tour to Australia]], where he played in all three tests.

In 1990 he was knocked unconscious when blindsided by the young Argentine front row forward [[Federico Mendez]], which saw Mendez sent off. Mendez later claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, and that he had meant to hit [[Jeff Probyn]], because he had "stamped on my goolies".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/uk-clubs/ruck-stars-hitting-it-off-in-the-world-of-rugby-955351.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122112748/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/uk-clubs/ruck-stars-hitting-it-off-in-the-world-of-rugby-955351.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 November 2008 | title=Ruck stars: Hitting it off in the world of rugby | first=Tim | last=Glover | work=The Independent | date=9 October 2008| access-date=18 May 2010}}</ref> Ackford was part of the England side that won the Five Nations Grand Slam in 1991. 

==Post-rugby career==
Ackford retired from international rugby after the [[1991 Rugby Union World Cup|1991 World Cup]], won by Australia, becoming a journalist and writing for the ''[[Sunday Telegraph]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=711|title=Paul Ackford|work=Sporting-Heroes.net|accessdate=29 August 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040223141441/http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=711 |archivedate=23 February 2004 }}
*[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=712 Sporting Heroes 2]{{deadlink|date=July 2025}}

{{British and Irish Lions 1989}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1989 France}}
{{Four Home Unions 1990}}
{{England Squad 1991 World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ackford, Paul}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players]]
[[Category:The Daily Telegraph people]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:Harlequin F.C. players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century British police officers]]
[[Category:Metropolitan Police officers]]
[[Category:People educated at Plymouth College]]
[[Category:Rosslyn Park F.C. players]]
[[Category:Rugby union locks]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Kent]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England]]
[[Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]