Everyone at Irish Rugby is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Ireland international Gary Halpin.
Gary won 11 Test caps, representing Ireland at the 1991 and 1995 Rugby World Cups.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends and former team-mates at this sad time. pic.twitter.com/vE6HkVLW7x
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2021
The former Leinster and Ireland prop forward Gary Halpin has died suddenly. He was 55. The bustling front rower won 11 caps between 1990 and 1995, famously scoring a try against New Zealand at the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, before flipping the bird towards the unsuspecting All-Blacks containing a certain soon-to-be senation Jonah Lomu.
Domestically, he played for Leinster before making the move to England where he lined out for London Irish and Harlequins. The Kilkenny native was also a dual sportsperson, representing Ireland at the 1987 World Athletics Championships in Rome in the hammer.
He would go on to teach economics and politics in Weybridge in England, before returning to Ireland to become Head of Boarding at Cistercian College in Roscrea.
His international career began against England at Twickenham in 1990, but to his own later regret after touching down against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, he infamously delivered a colourful two-fingered salute to Sean Fitzpatrick, a move he subsequently regretted. Ireland would lose 43-19.
— David Raleigh (@raleighreports) February 24, 2021
