Bob Irving (rugby league)

Robert "Bob" A. Irving (15 February 1948 – 18 April 1999) was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. A Great Britain and England international, and Yorkshire representative second-row, he played at club level for Oldham, Wigan, Salford, Barrow, Blackpool Borough and Swinton during the era of contested scrums.[1]

Robert Irving
Personal information
Full nameRobert A. Irving
Born15 February 1948
Huddersfield, England
Died18 April 1999 (aged 51)
Blackpool, England
Playing information
PositionSecond-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1965–73 Oldham 296 80 0 0 240
1973–77 Wigan 142 37 0 0 111
1977–≥77 Salford
Barrow
Blackpool Borough
–83 Swinton
Total 438 117 0 0 351
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Yorkshire
1975 England 3 0 0 0 0
1967–72 Great Britain 11 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3]

Background

Bob irving was born in Castle Hill, Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he was a hotelier in Blackpool, and studied for a degree, becoming a senior lecturer in business studies at Blackpool and The Fylde College. He was active in the Catholic Church, and undertook charity work in his spare time, regularly manning a soup kitchen for homeless and displaced people, and he died aged 51, following a heart attack in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.[4]

Playing career

Irving was transferred, aged 16, from St. Joseph's ARLFC (in Huddersfield) to Oldham, and within a few weeks, he was playing in the first team.[5]

International honours

Irving won caps for England while at Wigan in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup against Wales, France, and Australia,[2] and won caps for Great Britain while at Oldham in 1967 against France (2 matches), and Australia (3 matches), in 1970 against Australia (sub), and New Zealand, in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France (sub), and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against New Zealand, and Australia (sub).[3]

County Cup Final appearances

Bob Irving played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Oldham's 13–16 defeat by Wigan in the 1966–67 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1966–67 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 October 1966,[6] and played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in the 2–30 defeat by St. Helens in the 1968–69 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1968–69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Friday 25 October 1968, played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in Wigan's 19–9 victory over Salford in the 1973–74 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1973–74 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973,[7] and played right-prop, i.e. number 10, in the 13–16 defeat by Workington Town in the 1977–78 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1977–78 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1977.

Honoured at Oldham

Robert Irving is an Oldham Hall of Fame Inductee.[8]

Note

The "Tracking down the heroes of 1972" reference misstates his year of death as 2002, it was 1999.[4] The "Obituary: Bob Irving at independent.co.uk" reference misstates his month of birth as December, it was February.[9]

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References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "Tracking down the heroes of 1972". bbc. 22 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. Hughes, Ed (31 October 2004). "Caught in Time: Great Britain prepare for 1972 rugby league World Cup final". The Sunday Times. UK: Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  6. "1966-1967 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. "1973–1974 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  8. "Oldham Hall of Fame". orl-heritagetrust.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. "Obituary: Bob Irving at independent.co.uk". independent.co.uk. 27 April 1999. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
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