David Kirk
| Full name | David Edward Kirk | ||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 5 October 1960 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 73 kg (11 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||
| School | Wanganui Collegiate | ||||||||||||
| University |
University of Otago University of Oxford |
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| Occupation(s) | Chief Executive Officer/Director of Rugby | ||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||
| Playing career | |||||||||||||
| Position | Halfback | ||||||||||||
| New Zealand No. | 843 | ||||||||||||
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| Provincial/State sides | |||
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| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1982–84 1985–87 |
Otago Auckland |
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| National team(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1983–87 |  New Zealand |
17 | (24) |
David Edward Kirk MBE (born 5 October 1960) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He is best known for having been the captain of the All Blacks when they won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
Kirk was born in Wellington and grew up in Palmerston North. He was educated at Russell Street School, Wanganui Collegiate School and Selwyn College at the University of Otago, where he graduated with a medical degree MB ChB.
Kirk played domestic rugby for Otago and Auckland, and first toured with the All Blacks in 1983. He stood out from his fellow players as "urbane, articulate and thoughtful," and when the planned 1986 All Black tour to South Africa was cancelled David and John Kirwan were the only two players to refuse to join the rebel "Cavaliers" team on moral grounds—he felt that it would give comfort to the apartheid regime.
With the rebels banned from playing in the next two All Black test he captained the so-called "Baby Blacks". On the return of the rebels however, his position was uncomfortable and he was lucky to retain his place in the squad. Despite this, when original captain Andy Dalton had to withdraw with an injury, Kirk was made captain—and led New Zealand to victory over France in the 1987 Rugby World Cup Final.
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