Niall Brophy
Birth name | Niall Henry Brophy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 19 September 1935 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | O'Connell School and Blackrock College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Niall Henry Brophy (born 19 September 1935 in Dublin, Ireland) is a retired Irish rugby union player. He represented University College Dublin R.F.C., Blackrock College R.F.C., London Irish R.F.C., Barbarian F.C., Leinster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He played as a Winger. He also represented UCD and IUAA in athletics.[1]
Early life in sports
Brophy grew up in Clontarf with a keen interest in several sports, participating in Gaelic, cricket, rugby, golf and athletics. He attended school in O'Connell CBS, followed by Blackrock College. In 1954, he was Leinster Schools Athletic champion in both 100 yards and 220 yards[2] and also took the same titles in the Irish Schools Athletics Championship.[3] That same year, on St. Patrick's Day, Brophy captained Blackrock College to victory over Belvedere, captained by future Irish rugby teammate Tony O'Reilly, in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup (11-3).[4]
UCD rugby and athletics
Brophy graduated with a B.Comm from UCD. In athletics, Brophy had five appearances for UCD in Track & Field Championships in Ireland, taking gold in both the 100 yards and 220 yards in 1956 and again in 1960.[5]
In rugby, Brophy, along with teammate Bill Mulcahy, became the first UCD players to represent the British and Irish Lions (then known as the British Lions), during their tour to Australia and New Zealand.[6]
Ireland
Brophy made his Ireland debut against France on 26 January 1957, during the 1957 Five Nations Championship. He scored his first try for Ireland in this game.[7] His last test for Ireland was against Australia during Ireland's tour there in May 1967. Ireland won the match 5-11.[8]
British and Irish Lions
Brophy received his first Lions call-up in 1959 for the tour to Australia and New Zealand, but was not capped on this tour because of injury. He was called up again for the 1962 tour to South Africa, and this time won 2 Lions caps.[9]
After rugby
Brophy was President of the Leinster Branch in 1981-82, Blackrock College RFC in 1985-86 and the IRFU in 1997-98. He was inducted into the Rugby Writers of Ireland Hall of Fame in 2003,[10] and into the Guinness Hall of Fame in 2011.[11]
He was also named in UCD's 'Team of the Century'.[12]
He is a regular golfer, playing in Portmarnock, Foxrock and Royal Porthcawl.
References
- ^ "Athlete: Niall Brophy (#4773)". sindar.net. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Leinster Schools Athletics Champions 1924-2020". Blackrock College Union. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ Callaghan, Pierce; Smyth, Cyril (December 2017). "www.athleticsireland.ie/downloads/statistics/" (PDF). Athletics Ireland.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "From the Archives: St Patrick's Day 1954". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Athlete: Niall Brophy (#4773)". sindar.net. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "ucdrugby.com - Down Through The Years". ucdrugby.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Ireland 11-6 France". espnscrum.com. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ "As It Happened: Ireland 15-6 Australia". 17 September 2011.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ jmcconnell (10 October 2016). "Your Club Your Lions: Blackrock College". British & Irish Lions. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ "Murphy wins Irish honour". BBC Sport. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Nacewa Bags Top Honour At Leinster Awards Ball". leinsterrugby.ie. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ Blake, Richard (31 March 2011). "UCD celebrate Team of the Century..." Leinster Rugby. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
External links
- Living people
- 1935 births
- Rugby union players from County Dublin
- Irish rugby union players
- Ireland international rugby union players
- British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland
- Rugby union wings
- University College Dublin R.F.C. players
- Blackrock College RFC players
- People educated at Blackrock College