He made his official Ireland debut against France in 1947 and went on to win 46 caps playing a pivotal role in the Irish side.

John Wilson Kyle played for Ireland in the first game after the second world war, guided them to their only Five Nations grand slam in 1948, and went on to play a remarkable seven consecutive championship seasons before injury removed him temporarily from the scene in 1954. But he was back the following year and carried on for four more years, by which time he was the most capped player of all-time. 46 caps may not sound much these days but they spanned eleven seasons in the days when only four regular internationals were played every year.

Greatest Moment

Touring New Zealand and Australia with the Lions was Jack Kyle’s finest hour. His wonderful handling and temperament, solid defence and exceptional link work marked him out as the complete fly-half. He played in 20 of the 29 games, including all six Tests, with the New Zealand Almanac commending him as ‘an excellent team man, faultless in his handling, able to send out lengthy and accurate passes, and adept at making play for his supports.

Interesting Facts

A surgeon by trade, trained at Queens University Belfast, Kyle subsequently spent more than 30 years working in Africa.

Career Status

1947-1958

Test Caps
Test Points
Test tries
Penalties
Conversions
Drop Goals