Philip Orr
Philip Andrew Orr (born 14 December 1950) is a former Irish international rugby union loosehead prop who played for the British Lions. Born in Dublin, Orr was educated at The High School, Dublin, and Trinity College Dublin. He played for Old Wesley for over 20 years and was captain of the team that lifted the Leinster Senior Cup in 1985, his club's first Leinster Senior Cup title in 76 years.[1][2] In the 1983–84 season he achieved a new record of caps for an Irish prop, reaching 43, all consecutive.[3] For many years Orr was his country's most-capped prop with a then-world record 58 appearances.[4] Orr would have reached 50 consecutive caps were it not for being dropped during the 1986 Five Nations Championship, a decision that "defied belief".[5] He was recalled after one match and made his fiftieth appearance against Scotland.[6]
"One of the most durable forwards of his or any other generation" and a ball-carrying prop,[7] he made his debut against France in 1976 and was part of the Irish teams that won a Triple Crown in 1982 and 1985. French tighthead prop, Jean-Pierre Garuet, called Orr his most difficult opponent, a "colossus ('colosse')" his predecessor Robert Paparemborde had warned him about.[8] The only major international team Orr never played against was the Springboks, who were absent from world rugby for a generation.[6]
Orr toured with the Lions to New Zealand in 1977, winning one cap, and was a replacement during the tour of South Africa in 1980. In all he played 17 times for the Lions but was not available for the 1983 tour to New Zealand due to business reasons.[9] His last international appearance came on 7 June 1987, at the advanced age of 36 years and 162 days, in Ireland's quarter-final defeat to Australia during the inaugural Rugby World Cup.[10][11][12]
In 1991, Orr was president of Old Wesley in its centenary year.[1] In 2009, he was elected to the Irish Rugby Football Union Committee, and was the president of the organisation between 14 July 2017 and 13 July 2018.[13][14]
Orr played for the Barbarians on six occasions from 1977 to 1984.[15] He has been a Barbarian trustee for a number of years.[16]
He owned a clothing manufacturing company in Dublin.[12]
External links
[edit]See also
[edit]- Rugby World, "Phil Orr Profile", April 1977, December 1982, October 1985
References
[edit]- 1 2 'Philip Orr Elected President of the IRFU'. Old Wesley, 14 July 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2025
- ↑ 'Emotional scenes as Old Wesley bridge 76 years'. The Irish Times, 29 April 1985
- ↑ 'History: 1961 – 1990'. Old Wesley Rugby Football Club, undated. Retrieved 29 June 2026
- ↑ "Irish Rugby -- All Time International Caps". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
- ↑ Hugh Farrelly, 'The top five worst selection decisions in Irish rugby history'. Extra.ie, 26 December 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2025
- 1 2 Ivan Martin, 'Ireland’s Rugby Giants: Phil Orr'. Ireland’s Eye, undated. Retrieved 29 June 2026
- ↑ Tony Ward, 'Where are they now? Philip Orr (Born December 14, 1950)'. Irish Independent, 28 September 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2025
- ↑ Richard Escot, 'Jean-Pierre Garuet : "La meilleure méthode, c'est la méthode Garuet"'. L'Équipe, 3 May 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2025
- ↑ 'Lions Legend: Phil Orr'. Lions Rugby, 20 January 2010, accessed 21 December 2022
- ↑ 'Lunch Speakers Announced'. Trinity Rugby, 31 October 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2025
- ↑ 'Who Are The Oldest And Youngest Rugby World Cup Players?'. Rugby World, 13 October 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2025
- 1 2 Ciaran Cronin, 'Caught in Time: Ireland’s first Rugby World Cup XV, 1987'. The Times, 14 September 2003. Retrieved 20 March 2025
- ↑ "Philip Orr Becomes 130th President Of The IRFU". Irish Rugby Football Union. 14 July 2017. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ↑ "Ian McIlrath Elected President Of The IRFU". Irish Rugby Football Union. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ↑ 'Philip Andrew Orr'. Barbarian FC, undated. Retrieved 29 June 2026
- ↑ 'Our Trustees'. Barbarian FC, undated. Retrieved 31 January 2025
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