John Kirwan knighted

I've just read that ex All Black winger, and International coach of Italy and Japan John Kirwan has been knighted in the NZ Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to mental health awareness. Kirwan's public stance about his battles with depression has been credited with helping remove much of the stigma around the illness in NZ.

Well done Sir JK!

RWC All Blacks' assistant coaches Hansen and Smith picked up MNZs (MBE-equivalents) to go alongside the knighthood awarded to Graham Henry in the New Years' Honours.

We're trying to lure him back to Auckland.

As I always say on these things. Great, now give Lester Piggott back his.

Big congratulations to Kirwan!

Piggott got an OBE, not a knighthood.

mbernz wrote:Big congratulations to Kirwan!

Piggott got an OBE, not a knighthood.

Easier to give back then, no sword needed

Well done JK",AllBLacks don`t Cry"I know what that demon was like,suffered
and over came it myself.Sometimes it creeps back but once you know the signs
you learn to cope.

emack2 wrote:Well done JK",AllBLacks don`t Cry"I know what that demon was like,suffered
and over came it myself.Sometimes it creeps back but once you know the signs
you learn to cope.

If anyone hasn't seen it the full video "All Blacks Don't Cry (13 minutes) is worth a watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxBikj3kRco

Irrespective of what you think about 'honours' and some of the undeserving winners of them some of the time you just think 'yes, that one's dead right'. Good on ya, Sir JK!

A worthy recipient

these gongs are frankly embarrassing

tecphobe wrote:these gongs are frankly embarrassing

Personally I'm happy for people that who're making a difference to society can have their contribution recognised.

Good for you, personally I've had quite enough of the toff system after this weekend. I've also got zero respect for anyone who accepts one.

tecphobe wrote:Good for you, personally I've had quite enough of the toff system after this weekend. I've also got zero respect for anyone who accepts one.

Personally I was smart enough to enjoy the extra time off, and otherwise mostly ignore the palaver. As for linking the word "Toff" to a former butcher's apprentice from South Auckland ...

Well what would you call the the honours system? Its a feudal relic i didn't link a former butchers apprentice to it, he did by accepting it. anyway you carry on enjoying bowing and scraping.

And you enjoy all brushing all those nice chips off your shoulders.

NZ managed to leave behind the bowing and scraping and most of the rest of the class system that so blights the UK. Hence we have no problem with enjoying a few archaisms to tell someone they've done OK.

Strewth, sometimes you cant do right for doing wrong.

Kiwireddevil wrote:And you enjoy all brushing all those nice chips off your shoulders.

NZ managed to leave behind the bowing and scraping and most of the rest of the class system that so blights the UK. Hence we have no problem with enjoying a few archaisms to tell someone they've done OK.

YOu should really do that, attacking the poster rather than the post. Just because i have different view dosnt mean i have a chip on my shoulder.

Its pretty irresponsible for an admin

Kiwi, it's not 'the class system' that blights the UK it's greed and envy in almost equal measure. I for one am happy to celebrate outstanding service in the most conspicuous way possible and this does. You don't have to be a fauning knee bender to appreciate it for what it is, a high honour bestowed on a man who deserves it.

Personally I couldnt give a monkey's about the honours list or who bestows it, however in this case it is recognition of the work a good man has done. Well done Kirwan.

The buzz is that Sir JK is going to be appointed coach of the Blues this afternoon.

Yep...
http://www.allblacks.com/news/19918/Kirwan-appointed-as-new-Blues-coach

way to go JK...
From De La Salle College, the Mangere Bridge butcher, Auckland vs British Lions in 83, Ranfurly Shield and inaugural World cup star, switch to Warriors mid 90's, then on to coaching...Italy...Japan and now back to where he started...Auckland!

There'll be huge interest around this selection down this way...

Well done and welcome home JK!

We dont know yet who is going to have as his assistant coaches, I hope the first person that he gets rid of is Jeff Wilson, but I do like the idea of Craig Dowd being given a shot at forward/scrummaging coach.

The damage that has been done over the last couple of years (and not all the fault of Pat Lam) will take some time to rectify, I hope JK told the NZRU to keep out of the setup before he accepted the appointment.

What an awesome rugby legend

this is the bloke who I wanted as England Attack coach, now who better to lead the charge than a knight?

As a follower of Italy they improved very well under kirwan and the interviews were quite funny. (I supported them in most of their fixtures, partly an underdog thing, partly the characters they produce and partly the brilliant anthem!)

Congrats to him Great guy. So glad he's on the mend.