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Birth name | Ian Andrew Kirkpatrick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 24 May 1946 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Gisborne, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 102 kg (225 lb; 16 st 1 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | King's College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Farmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ian Andrew Kirkpatrick MBE (born 24 May 1946) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. Described as "supremely athletic, fast, fearless and with an uncanny sense of anticipation",[1] Kirkpatrick is widely regarded as one of the greatest flankers to have ever played the game. His try-scoring ability was astonishing; at the time Kirkpatrick played rugby, it was rare for forwards to score tries, but his 16 test tries were an All Black record until Stu Wilson surpassed it in 1983. He also captained the All Blacks and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.