Home Nations Heroes, No 14 - Jackie Kyle

Published on 30/01/2013 01:00

BELFAST-born Ireland stand-off John Wilson Kyle OBE was a thrillingly elusive No 10, who as well as his 46 Irish caps, played six times for the Lions.

The highlight of his career came in the 1948 Five Nations when he helped Ireland win a Grand Slam. He played in all four games and he is often credited with masterminding Ireland’s success. In 1949, he also helped Ireland win the Triple Crown and in 1951, they won the Five Nations title again.

In 1999, Kyle was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame and, in 2002, he was named the Greatest Ever Irish Rugby Player by the IRFU.

He studied medicine at Queen’s University, Belfast and, after retiring from club rugby in 1963, embarked on humanitarian work in Sumatra and Indonesia. Between 1966 and 2000, he was a consultant surgeon in Zambia. Kyle, now 86, then returned to Northern Ireland and settled in County Down.