Jack Kyle facts for kids
Kyle in 1950
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| Birth name | John Wilson Kyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 10 February 1926 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 28 November 2014 (aged 88) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Bryansford, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Belfast Royal Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Queen's University, Belfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Wilson Kyle, also known as Jack Kyle, was a famous rugby union player from Northern Ireland. He was born on February 10, 1926, and passed away on November 27, 2014. Jack Kyle played for the Irish national team, the British and Irish Lions, and the Barbarians during the 1940s and 1950s.
He is most famous for leading Ireland to a Grand Slam in the 1948 Five Nations Championship. This means Ireland won every game in the tournament that year. In 1950, he was named one of the top six players of the year by the New Zealand Rugby Almanac. Jack Kyle is also a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame. In 2002, the Irish Rugby Football Union called him the Greatest Ever Irish Rugby Player.
Jack Kyle went to Belfast Royal Academy and then studied medicine at Queen's University, Belfast. He finished his studies in 1951. Later, in 1991, the university gave him an honorary degree. He also received an award for his life's work in medicine in 2007. In 1959, he was given an OBE honor.
Contents
Jack Kyle's Rugby Career
Playing for Ireland
Jack Kyle first played for Ireland during World War II in a friendly match. However, official "caps" (recognitions for playing in a national game) were not given for that match.
His official debut for Ireland was on January 25, 1947, against France. Ireland lost that game 8–12.
Between 1947 and 1958, Jack Kyle played 46 official games for Ireland. He scored 24 points, including 7 tries (which are like touchdowns in rugby).
The best part of his career with Ireland was in the 1948 Five Nations Championship. He, along with Karl Mullen and Mick O'Flanagan, helped Ireland win a Grand Slam. Many people say Kyle was the main reason for Ireland's success that year. He played in all four games. In 1949, he also helped Ireland win the Triple Crown, which means beating England, Scotland, and Wales in the same tournament. They won the title again in 1951.
Jack Kyle's last game for Ireland was against Scotland on March 1, 1958. After he scored an amazing solo try against France in 1953, a newspaper writer wrote a poem about him, calling him "That damned elusive Jackie Kyle."
Playing for the British and Irish Lions
In 1950, Jack Kyle also played for the British and Irish Lions. This team is made up of top players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. He went with them on their tour to New Zealand and Australia. He played in 20 of their 29 games, including all six important "Test" matches.
One of his best moments on the tour was in the first Test against New Zealand, which ended in a 9–9 tie. Kyle scored a try, helped another player score, and won a penalty kick for his team. He also scored a try in a game where the Lions beat Australia 24–3.
Playing for the Barbarians
Jack Kyle played eight games for the Barbarian F.C. between 1948 and 1954. This is a special invitational rugby club.
Later Life and Legacy
After he stopped playing club rugby in 1963, Jack Kyle began doing humanitarian work. He worked as a surgeon in Sumatra and Indonesia. From 1966 to 2000, he was a consultant surgeon in Chingola, Zambia.
After his work abroad, he returned to Northern Ireland and lived in County Down. He stayed involved in rugby. In 2001, he started the Jack Kyle Bursary Fund to help the Queen's University RFC Rugby Academy.
Jack Kyle passed away on November 28, 2014, after being ill for a while. He is remembered as one of the greatest rugby players from Ireland.
Honours and Achievements
Ireland
- Five Nations Championship
- Winner (3): 1948, 1949, 1951
See also
In Spanish: Jack Kyle para niños
