In a week in which the sporting community, in Australia in particular, is mourning the tragic, sudden and very public death of a young cricketer while competing, it may seem inapposite to mark the passing of an 88-year old man on the other side of the world.
Jack Kyle died peacefully and privately surrounded by his family after a long illness.
But when that man was one of the enduring legends of his chosen sport, whose name and feats were familiar even to those of us who weren’t born at the time of his retirement, it is worth reminding ourselves of his contribution to the game.
Jackie Kyle was the out half and most vivacious player in the first Irish rugby team to win a Grand Slam in 1948.
Of course in those days, the term Grand Slam was hardly mentioned and was secondary in importance, in the home countries at any rate, to the Triple Crown, the mythical accolade given to any of the four who could beat the other three in a single season.
Ireland and Kyle repeated the Triple Crown the following season and it would be 33 years before an Irish team managed that feat again.
Kyle was also the Test half on the Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950. Even the New Zealanders, notoriously sparing in their compliments to any players from north of the equator, were fulsome in their praise.
A retrospective published in 1978 to mark the first 75 years of New Zealand Test rugby described Kyle as “the best player seen in his position in New Zealand since the Second World War”.
For people of my generation, comfortably ensconced in middle age, he was literally the sort of legendary character one hears about at one’s father’s knee.
Over the long run, the fortunes of teams from smaller countries such as Ireland fluctuate considerably. In leaner times, one tends to take solace in the great achievements of yesteryear.
Going through team photographs in dusty old programs or year books and pointing out the great and not so great from years gone by, my dad would linger over Kyle’s photograph and wax lyrical about his ability to make a break and carve up the opposition’s defence. Of particular note, he would say, was Kyle’s astuteness.
Not every pass would result in an extravagant running attack. One could spend much of a match thinking he had a quiet game and then suddenly, the opportunity would present itself and he would be through in a flash.
My mother, dragged to games in her younger days, would offer the penetrating insight that Kyle’s shorts would often be as gleaming white at the end of the game as they were at the start, testimony in her eyes, to his genius at evading the clutches of defenders.
A modern coach might well consult his computerised statistics generated by the video analyst and conclude perhaps that Kyle’s defensive work rate was not all it might be, but as he frequently pointed out in interviews in recent years, there was no such thing as a coach in his day, certainly not in this part of the world. International teams would meet up the day before a match and such advance preparation as there was would be in the hands of the team captain.
An interview that was replayed on Irish radio the day his death was announced described the limits of tactical acumen of the time.
During the Triple Crown/Grand Slam decider of 1948, played against Wales in Belfast, the team captain Karl Mullen said to him at half time. “I think we’re a good bit fitter than the Welsh players. Move the ball wide to the wings as often as you can and tire the buggers out!”
Following his retirement from rugby in the late 1950s, Kyle took his skills as a doctor to the developing world and ended up as a country surgeon in Zambia for about 30 years.
As such, he disappeared from view to a large extent, his memory kept alive by the reminiscences of those old enough to have seen him play. But on his retirement he returned to his native Belfast, whose distinctive accent he never lost, and was a frequent sprightly and alert contributor on many television and radio commentaries until very recently.
To finish up, one might call to mind the occasion when his exploits in a match inspired a newspaper reporter to honour him in verse.
“They seek him here
They seek him there
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere
That paragon of pace and guile
The demmed elusive Jackie Kyle. “
Rest in peace, good doctor.
Derm
Roar Guru
Great player of his time. And any time. "Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis."
Phil O'Donovan
Guest
I suspect the last person to worry about his ranking as a fly half was Jackie himself. A legend in the game he played and the life he lived.
richard
Guest
Cliff Morgan,starred in the 1953 victories v the ABs for Cardiff and Wales,And was pivotal in the drawn series in SA in 1955. A pity he didn't tour downunder with the British Lions in 1959.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
A nice tribute Dave as well as Declan's below.
sheek
Roar Guru
You call that a compromise! ;-) Sounds like total capitulation. :-)
sheek
Roar Guru
So very true. The 10 often defines the way a country sees itself playing rugby, or wants to see itself!
sheek
Roar Guru
Frank, These are the kinds of things we could discuss for hours & hours & hours. Over good food washed down with good wine..... I would go with Carter myself (at his peak of course).
abnutta
Roar Guru
I lobbied hard for the wife to name our first born (a daughter as it turned out) after two of my sporting heroes. Jackie Robinson and Jackie Kyle. She would not have a bar of it. In the end we came to a compromise and chose "Eden"
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
Also, it is the once position, more than any other, that reflects the country's ideas on how the position should be played. A Saffie or Argentina might prefer a kicker. Australians would prefer a handler like Ella or Larkham, etc. The Pommies might want a drop-kick expert in the last 10 minutes - a Wilkinson and Rob Andrew, etc.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
And Cliff Morgan.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
Bruce, it's one of the great shames of rugby history that the Lions didn't beat New Zealand in the 50s. From all accounts, every Lions side that played in the 50s reinvented the wheel. After Don Clarke scored the winning try in one Test in 1959, the rest of New Zealand were practically hoping the Lions would win the next Test - so deserving and unlucky were they. As far as Kyle being my choice for best ever 10... After watching the Lions series, I have to say I was shocked how little Barry John ran with the ball. The Lions were vaunted for their incredible backline, but really that was a series where NZs forwards murdered the Lions, and they survived off John's kicking game. The tries scored by the 1984 Grand Slam Wallabies show a great backline. Ella was better than John at running the ball, and they played the same number of Tests - I rate Ella higher. But what they say about Ella's kicking game is very true - not a great tactical kicker. Cliff Morgan would be close. I actually thought Dan Carter is a good shout - not the current Dan Carter who just shuffles the ball on, but the Dan Carter of 2005-2007 and even after that, might be the best ever. That tactical kick against the Wallabies in 2010 that led to a penalty (which he converted) was amazing. Porta is close. What I don't like about players like Porta and Botha is that they put the onus of winning and losing all on themselves. I have the Caveliers Tour on VHS and the one Test SA lost was one where Botha made plenty of kicking errors. It was a Test where he needed to bring more of the side int the Tezt.. Granted for Porta, he had to carry a very weak side, but if you ask me, playing a style that puts on onus all on yourself hinders a side from progressing. Porta might be the bees ever, however. Eh it's a hard position to pick for. I'm happy with Kyle.
sheek
Roar Guru
Wow Frank, Jackie Kyle the greatest 10 of all-time? That's a mighty statement. Dublin Dave knows from personal exchange of emails of nearly a decade that I have an indirect connection to Kyle, but even I'm not sure he's the best 10 of all time. That's not to say you're wrong. It's just a mighty call. I like your team, by the way. All great players, although I might not pick exactly the same team. I tend to shy away from world selections. It's hard enough selecting all-time national XVs, without picking an all-time world XV.
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Dublin Dave, So very well said, & with due apologies to the Scarlet Pimpernel. Or, in this case, the Emerald Pimpernel! Yep,, as Frank says above, Kyle was voted Ireland's greatest ever player. The guy was a true genius. Vale Jackie Kyle. Lived for 88 years & 10 months, that's pretty good in anyone's language.
richard
Guest
RIP Jack Kyle.The greatest first five to play for Ireland and it's a toss up between Kyle and Barry John as to who was the greatest FF to come out of the NH. Was an absolute star on the 1950 Lions tour to NZ.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I recently listed my greatest rugby side of all time. this is what I came up with: 1. Chris Koch 2. Sean Fitzpatrick 3. Ken Gray 4. Frisk du Preez 5. Colin Meads 6. Kel Tremain 7. Richie McCaw 8. Zinzan Brooke 9. Gareth Edwards 10. Jack Kyle 11. David Campese 12. Mike Gibson 13. Danie Gerber 14. Tony O'Rielly 15. Serge Blanco People forget that Kyle, not Gibson or Wood or O'Driscoll, was voted Ireland's greatest rugby player of all time. Kyle was arguably the greatest 10 to ever play the game. It's a sad passing, but it sounds like the passed peacefully.
Wardad
Guest
Good on the Doctor for a long and fruitful life . But those gleaming white shorts are just typical of all sea-gulling backs from all eras ! Kidding of course [ sorta]