Michael Lynagh
| Date of birth | 25 October 1963 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | ||
| School | St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane | ||
| University | University of Queensland. | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Fly-half | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1982-1995 | University of Queensland | ||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1996–1998 | Saracens | 19 | (219) |
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1982–1995 | Queensland | ||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1984–1995 |  Australia |
72 | (911) |
Michael Patrick Thomas Lynagh, AM[1] (born 25 October 1963) is a former Australian rugby union footballer who played as a Fly-half.
Lynagh represented Australia from 1984 to 1995, playing at both inside centre and fly half. Lynagh was capped 72 times for Australia, and was captain from 1993 to 1995. He was the world points scoring record holder when he retired,[2] with 911 points. Lynagh was a member of the 1984 Grand Slam winning team and was vice-captain when Australia won the 1991 Rugby World Cup. Until he handed the kicking duties over to Marty Roebuck, he scored in every test he played in,[3][4] including a try against Wales in 1984 when he was temporarily relieved of kicking responsibilities.
He retired from International Rugby after Australia's loss to England in the quarter-final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Early years
Lynagh attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace in Brisbane and played fly-half in the school's First XV from Year 10 to Year 12 (1979–1981). Terrace won the GPS premiership 5 years straight from 1977 to 1981 with Lynagh playing in the final 3 years and was captain in his last year. Lynagh also played First XI Cricket from Year 9 to Year 12 and was captain in his final year.
Career
After school he played first grade for University of Queensland and represented Queensland from 1982–1995. Lynagh was a member of Queensland's Super 6 and Super 10 winning sides.
On 9 June 1984, at the age of 20, Lynagh made his debut for Australia against Fiji in Suva. Early in his career he played at inside centre as Mark Ella was the current fly-half. When Ella retired after the 1984 Grand Slam, Lynagh took over as the Australian fly-half.
In 1996, Lynagh joined Saracens of England at the advent of professionalism, after retiring from a glittering 12-year international career with Australia as the world record points scorer with 911 and a World Cup winner (1991).
Lynagh's arrival at the club was the first major signing after Nigel Wray took control of the club and he acted as a beacon to attract other players and fans alike. Lynagh helped Saracens to have their most successful season to date.
In the 1997/98 season Saracens battled it out with Newcastle Falcons for almost the whole season for top spot in the league and when the two sides met in front of a crowd of nearly 20,000 Lynagh slotted a match winning drop goal in the dying minutes to send Vicarage Road into raptures. A month later he was on hand to steer Saracens to their famous Tetley's Bitter Cup 48–18 victory over Wasps at Twickenham, bringing the curtain down on a season to remember.
Retirement
He is now Managing Director, Dow Jones Corporate EMEA. He is also a TV rugby analyst for Sky Sports UK. On 18 April 2012 Lynagh was admitted to the Royal Brisbane Hospital after experiencing sudden onset of headache, dizziness and visual disturbance after a coughing fit. There it was diagnosed that he had suffered a life-threatening stroke due to vertebral artery dissection. Lynagh was released from hospital on Wednesday 2 May 2012, having largely recovered apart from a left hemianopsia (loss of the left half of the vision in both eyes).[5][6]
Lynagh was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996,[1] inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1999,[7] and received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000.[8] He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Wallaby Hall of Fame in 2013.[9][10]
References
- 1 2 "Lynagh, Michael Patrick Thomas, AM". It's an Honour. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ↑ "Player profile - Michael Lynagh". ESPN. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ↑ "Player analysis / Michael Lynagh / Test matches". ESPN. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ↑ "Ireland v Australia at Lansdowne Road". ESPN. 31 October 1992. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ↑ "Michael Lynagh in stable condition after suffering stroke". The Guardian. London. 19 April 2012.
- ↑ Sportsmail Reporter (2 May 2012). "I dodged a cannonball! Relieved Lynagh on the mend after stroke". Mail Online.
- ↑ "Michael Lynagh AM". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ↑ "Lynagh, Michael AM". It's an Honour. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ↑ "2001 inductees". International Rugby Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ↑ "Michael Lynagh inducted into Wallaby Hall of Fame". rugby.com.au. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
External links
| Preceded by David Codey |
Australian national rugby union captain 1987-95 |
Succeeded by Nick Farr-Jones |