Ollie Campbell

Seamus Oliver Campbell (born 5 March 1954) was an Irish former rugby union player. He played for Ireland from 1976 to 1984. He is most well known for his role in Ireland's 1982 Triple Crown victory, breaking a drought of over 30 years.[1]

Youth and club rugby

Campbell was educated at Belvedere College, a famous Irish rugby school, where he was on the teams that won the Leinster Schools Senior Cup twice in a row in 1971 and 1972.[2] Campbell played for Old Belvedere at club level and represented Leinster at provincial level, although prior to the professional era. While playing for Old Belvedere, he traveled to the United States in 1978, where he played in New York City against the Old Maroon Rugby Club.

International career

Campbell won a total of 22 caps for Ireland from 1976-1984, scoring 217 test points. Campbell's international career was more brief than this span suggests, however, as Campbell played only 4 full seasons for Ireland from 1980-84. Of his career totals, he won 22 caps and scored 182 points in the Five Nations tournament.[3] He toured twice with Ireland, to Australia in 1979 and to South Africa in 1981.

Campbell won his first cap for Ireland at the age of 21 against Australia in 1976, but did not secure another cap with Ireland until 1979. Campbell's had to battle for the No.10 jersey with Tony Ward, European player of the year in 1978 and 1979. Campbell's next cap was during Ireland's 1979 tour to Australia. He set an Irish record on the 1979 tour to Australia when he scored 60 points, 19 of them in Brisbane which was an Irish record for points in a match against Australia. The defining moment in Campbell's career came in 1982, with Campbell as the architect-in-chief of Ireland’s 1982 Triple Crown victory, Ireland's first since 1949.[4] Campbell kicked all of Ireland's 21 points (including a career best 6 penalties) against Scotland at Lansdowne Road to secure the Triple Crown. In 1983, Campbell scored 21 points against England, setting an Irish record for most points against England in a Five Nations match.[5] Campbell played his last match for Ireland in 1984 against Wales.

Campbell was also capped seven times for the British and Irish Lions, 3 in 1980 to South Africa and 4 in 1983 to New Zealand. He scored 184 points in total for the Lions.

Retirement

Campbell retired from rugby in 1986 following two years of struggles with hamstring injuries.[6]

In 2007 Ollie Campbell was presented with the Newbridge RFC Legend in Rugby Award along with the Irish Rugby Squad which won the 1982 Triple Crown and elected an Honorary Life Member of Newbridge RFC.

Campbell has worked in the family clothing business since retirement from rugby in 1984.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Duggan, Keith. "Short career long on impact". The Irish Times.
  2. ↑ Duggan, Keith. "Short career long on impact". The Irish Times.
  3. ↑ ESPN Scrum, Statsguru, Player Analysis, Ollie Campbell, http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/8468.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match
  4. ↑ Duggan, Keith. "Short career long on impact". The Irish Times.
  5. ↑ ESPN Scrum, O'Gara closes in on Championship record, Feb. 23, 2009, http://www.espnscrum.com/ireland/rugby/story/92404.html
  6. ↑ Duggan, Keith. "Short career long on impact". The Irish Times.

External links

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