Ian Kirke

Ian Kirke (born born 26 December 1981) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played the majority of his career for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League, for whom he made over 200 appearances and won the Super League Grand Final on five occasions. He also played for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League, and for the York City Knights in National League Two.

Ian Kirke
Personal information
Born (1981-12-26) 26 December 1981
Hornsea, Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight17 st 7 lb (111 kg) [1]
PositionSecond-row, Prop
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003–04 York City Knights 30 1 0 0 4
2006–14 Leeds Rhinos 213 12 0 0 48
2015 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 5 3 0 0 12
Total 248 16 0 0 64
Source: [2][3]

Playing career

He made his Leeds début on Sunday 5 March 2006 when Leeds played Castleford Tigers. During the close season 2006 he had surgery on both his shoulders to fix a long term injury. He was a pupil at Hornsea School and Language College.

After spells at Dewsbury Rams, Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers, Kirke's breakthrough came at York City Knights as he quietly set about laying the foundations for their National League Two triumph. Tony Rea took him on loan to London Broncos, and Leeds acted on the hint and snapped him up. His father, Bob Kirke, used to play for Hull Kingston Rovers, and as of 2011, he is a Year-3 teacher at Hornsea Community Primary School.

He played in the 2008 Super League Grand Final victory over St Helens.[4]

He played in the 2009 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens at Old Trafford.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

He played in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Warrington Wolves at Wembley Stadium.[17][18]

In July 2011, Kirke was given a new two-year contract at Leeds.[19]

Later that year he played from the substitute bench for Leeds in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Wigan Warriors at Wembley Stadium.[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]

He played in the 2011 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens at Old Trafford.[35][36]

He played in the 2012 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Warrington Wolves at Wembley Stadium.[37][38][39][40]

He played in the 2012 Super League Grand Final victory over the Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford.[41][38]

He played in the 2014 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Castleford Tigers at Wembley Stadium.[42]

References
  1. "Leeds Rhinos Players & Coaches 1st Team". web page. Leeds Rhinos. 2011. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  2. RLP
  3. Love Rugby League
  4. "2008 Grand Final". BBC Sport. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  5. "Rhinos Take Super League Title". Sky News. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  6. Burke, David (11 October 2009). "Smith's Crisp". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  7. AFP (11 October 2009). "Leeds makes it Super League hat-trick". ABC News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  8. AAP (11 October 2009). "Leeds claim third successive Grand Final". nrl.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  9. Linfoot, Ben (10 October 2009). "Grand Final: Leeds Rhinos 18 St Helens 10". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  10. Correspondent (12 October 2009). "Potter refuses to blame video ref". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  11. Fletcher, Paul (10 October 2009). "St Helens 10-18 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  12. "Third time unlucky as Saints fail to halt Rhinos' charge to title". Liverpool Daily Post. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  13. "Sinfield hails winning culture". The Daily Mirror. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  14. Stewart, Rob (12 October 2009). "Lee Smith targets place in England rugby union team after Grand Final victory". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  15. "Sinfield hails historic title win". BBC Sport. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  16. "Leeds Rhinos fans in homecoming welcome". Yorkshire Evening Post. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  17. Scott, Ged (28 August 2010). "Leeds 6–30 Warrington". BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  18. Wilson, Andy (28 August 2010). "Chris Hicks hat-trick leads Warrington to Challenge Cup triumph over Leeds". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  19. "Prop Ian Kirke commits future to Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  20. "Wigan edge thrilling cup final". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  21. Scott, Ged (27 August 2011). "Wigan's Challenge Cup win a team effort - Joel Tomkins". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  22. skysports.com (27 August 2011). "Maguire salutes Wembley heroes". Sky Sports. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  23. ESPN staff (27 August 2011). "Challenge Cup glory for Wigan Warriors". espn.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  24. wiganwarriors.com (28 August 2011). "Wigan are 2011 Cup Champions". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  25. Scott, Ged (27 August 2011). "Leeds 18-28 Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  26. Wilson, Andy (27 August 2011). "Leeds Rhinos 18-28 Wigan Warriors – Challenge Cup final match report". The Guardian. London.
  27. therfl.co.uk (28 August 2011). "Challenge Cup: Lima inspires Wigan win". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  28. Brown, Oliver (27 August 2011). "Challenge Cup final: Leeds Rhinos 18 Wigan Warriors 28". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  29. Chisnall, Craig (28 August 2011). "Lima double inspires Wigan to Cup win". Wide World of Sports. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  30. Henson, Mike (27 August 2011). "Challenge Cup final - as it happened". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  31. Brown, Oliver (28 August 2011). "Challenge Cup final 2011: Wigan's warrior spirit shades controversy in emphatic win over Leeds Rhinos". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  32. Press Association (27 August 2011). "Wigan edge thrilling cup final". Free Press. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  33. "O'Loughlin savours special cup win". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. 28 August 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  34. bbc.co.uk (30 August 2011). "Wigan's Sam Tomkins punished for gesture at Leeds fans". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  35. "Leeds claim Grand Final glory as inspired Rob Burrow sinks St Helens". Guardian. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  36. "St Helens 16 Leeds 32". Daily Telegraph. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  37. "Warrington's battered Brett Hodgson recovers to see off Leeds in final". Guardian UK. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  38. "Leeds' Kevin Sinfield stars in Grand Final triumph against Warrington". Guardian. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  39. "Leeds Rhinos 18–35 Warrington Wolves". BBC Sport. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  40. "Warrington Wolves Are Challenge Cup Winners 2012!". Warrington Wolves Official Site. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  41. "Grand Final: Warrington 18-26 Leeds". BBC Sport. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  42. "Leeds lift Challenge Cup after Ryan Hall's double stuns Castleford". Guardian. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
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