Phillip Matthews
| Phillip Matthews | |
|---|---|
| 8th President of National College of Ireland | |
|
Assumed office February 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Dr. Paul Mooney |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Phillip Michael Matthews 21 January 1960 Gloucester, England |
| Spouse(s) | Lisa Flynn |
| Alma mater |
Queen's University Regent House Grammar School |
| Notable relative(s) | Kevin Flynn (father-in-law) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Flanker[1] | ||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| Queen's University Ards RFC Wanderers |
|||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| Ulster | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1984–1992 1989 |
Ireland British and Irish Lions |
38[1] 1 |
(4 tries) (0) |
Phillip Michael Matthews (born 21 January 1960, in Gloucester) is the current President of the National College of Ireland, in Dublin, since February 2009. He was also an Ireland rugby union international, who captained the Ireland Team in 17 of 38 appearances and was also selected for the British and Irish Lions and the captain of the Barbarians.
Senior Rugby career
Matthews was renowned as one half of an extremely effective back-row duo along with Nigel Carr. The played together at Regent House Grammar School, Queen's University, Ards RFC, Wanderers, Ulster and Ireland in the late 1970s and into the 1980s.[2]
Matthews made his senior international debut against Australia at Lansdowne Road in 1984 and was part of the Triple Crown winning side of 1985. He was on the subsequent 1985 Japan tour and represented his country in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. In 1988, in his 18th international, he took over the captaincy of the Irish side against Western Samoa and went on to lead Ireland a further 12 times in all, including in the 1991 Rugby World Cup when Ireland came extremely close to defeating eventual winners Australia in the quarter-final. He also was in the tour to Namibia. He won his 38th and final cap in 1992 against Scotland at Lansdowne Road.[2]
In his eight years playing for Ireland he scored four tries.[2] In 1989 he played for the British and Irish Lions against France in a rare "home" match in Paris for the Lions. The game formed part of the celebrations of the bi-centennial of the French Revolution.[3]
Phillip Matthews also has the distinction of appearing on at least two postage stamps. He is the eighth Ireland player to appear on a stamp. Along with Steve Smith he was depicted on two stamps in a set of nine issued by Tadjikistan for the 1991 Rugby World Cup. In his stamp he is seen tackling Michael Lynagh. Philip Matthews appears for the second time, on one of the nine rugby stamps issued by The Republic of Turkmenistan during 2000. Again he is facing Australia in the 1991 Rugby World Cup.[4]
Personal life
Phillip Matthews was married to Lisa Flynn, the daughter of former Ireland rugby international Kevin Flynn. Matthews lives in Dublin and occasionally commentates for BBC alongside Jim Neilly.[2] Matthews was appointed as the President for the National College of Ireland, in Dublin, Ireland, succeeding Dr. Paul Mooney in February 2010.[5]
References
- 1 2 IRFU official site
- 1 2 3 4 Where are they now? Philip Matthews (Gloucester 21/1/60), Compiled by David Kelly published Wednesday November 23 2005
- ↑ British and Irish Lions XV tour – Parc des Princes, 4 October 1989 match report
- ↑ Irish Rugby – O'Connell STAMPS His Mark, 23 August 2007
- ↑ New NCI President Appointed, National College of Ireland official site