- David Humphreys (rugby union)
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David Humphreys Personal information Full name David Humphreys Date of birth 10 September 1971 Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland Nickname(s) Humphs School(s) attended Ballymena Academy Senior clubs* Years Club Apps (points) Ulster Representative teams 1996-2006 Ireland
72 (560)[1] * Professional club appearances and points
counted for domestic first grade only.David Humphreys MBE (Gaeilge, Daithi Mac Unfraidh) (born 10 September 1971, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a retired rugby player. He played for 72 times for Ireland (scoring 560 pts, including 6 tries) and for Ulster.
Life & Career
Humphreys was educated at Ballymena Academy, the Queen's University of Belfast and Oxford University. Humphreys has represented Ireland at A, U21 and schools levels and has also captained the Barbarians. He led the Ireland Schools' side to the Triple Crown back in 1992 when he was at Ballymena Academy. He broke into the Ulster senior squad a year later helping them to victory over Cumbria at Cockermouth.
Humphreys was a law student at Queen's University of Belfast at the time. When he graduated, he moved to Oxford University. At the 1995 Varsity Match Humphreys scored all Oxford's points (a try, conversion, drop goal and three penalties) in their defeat by Cambridge 21-19. Humphreys duly qualified as a solicitor and came under the tutelage of a Belfast practice whose senior partner was Mike Gibson, a noted rugby player. Humphreys converted from the amateur game to the professional ranks with London Irish whose coaches included Willie Anderson and Clive Woodward.
Humphreys made his Ireland debut against France on 17 February 1996, and went on to win over 70 caps, making him Ireland's most capped fly-half. He returned to Ulster with the advent of professionalism in the province at the beginning of the 1998-99 season and captained Ulster to European Cup glory in 1999 - the province defeated Colomiers in the European Cup final at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
Humphreys was a formidable outside half with excellent positional kicking from the hand, accurate and consistent goal kicking plus devastating acceleration from a standing start which regularly set up try-scoring moves in the three-quarter line. In addition, his drop goal was a vital part of Ulster and Ireland's armoury in the late stages of close games.
Later in his career, he suffered from inconsistent form and competed with Munster's Ronan O'Gara, who would eventually surpass him as Ireland's most-capped fly-half, for a place in the Ireland team. In the 2003-4 season he lost his Ireland place in the side, but with O'Gara on Lions duty, he played in both of the summer 2005 Tests against Japan - captaining the side twice. He came on as a substitute against New Zealand in November 2005, and did the same against Australia the following week. Humphreys captained Ireland for the fifth time in the November 2005 win against Romania.
David Humphreys announced his retirement from international rugby after being an unused replacement throughout the 2006 Six Nations campaign. Humphreys cemented a reputation for last-ditch heroics in the final match of the 2005-6 season. Ulster had gone into the final week of competition narrowly leading the Celtic League, but a decisive win for Leinster away to Edinburgh concluded during the final minutes of Ulster's final match, against the Ospreys in South Wales. With Ulster two points behind with just four minutes to go and the Ospreys dominating territorially, it looked like the cup would go to Dublin. Humphreys, however, kicked a last minute 40 metre drop goal to clinch the game and the league for Ulster.
He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster in 2003 for Services to Sport and an MBE in the Queens New Year's Honours List in January 2004.
Humphreys played his last ever match for Ulster and possibly in the sport against Cardiff Blues in the Magners League on 9 May 2008. He led the team onto the pitch to a standing ovation from the Ravenhill crowd. He was subbed off after 8 minutes with a bad limp, again to a standing ovation from the Ulster supporters as well as the Cardiff staff.
His younger brother Ian Humphreys is also a fly-half who currently plays for Ulster - and has represented Ireland A and at Sevens.
References
External links
Ireland squad – 1999 Rugby World Cup Forwards Backs Coach Forwards Backs Coach Ulster Rugby squad Forwards Anderson • Best • Botha • Brady • Caldwell • Carey • Court • Dawson • Del Fava • Diack • Ferris • D. Fitzpatrick • J. Fitzpatrick • Hanna • Henry • McCullough • O'Donoghue • Philpott • Pollock • Roach • Young • WannenburgBacks Coach Brian McLaughlinBarbarian team captains - International Fixtures To 1999 Apr 1915: Edgar Mobbs(vs.Wal) • Jan 1948: Haydn Tanner(vs.Aus) • Jan 1952: Jimmy Nelson(vs.SA) • Feb 1954: Rex Willis(vs.NZ) • Feb 1958: Cliff Morgan(vs.Aus) • May 1958: Jim Greenwood(vs.East Africa) • Feb 1961: Ronnie Dawson(vs.SA) • Nov 1962: Ron Jacobs(vs.Can) • Feb 1964: Ronnie Dawson(vs.NZ) • Jan 1967: Noel Murphy(vs.Aus) • Dec 1967: Stewart Wilson(vs.NZ) • May 1969: John O'Shea(vs.Rhodesia) • Jan 1970: Gareth Edwards(vs.SA) • May 1970: John Spencer(vs.Sco XV) • Oct 1970: Frank Laidlaw(vs.Fiji) • Jan 1973: John Dawes(vs.NZ) • Nov 1974: Willie John McBride(vs.NZ) • Jan 1976: Mervyn Davies(vs.Aus) • Jun 1976: Phil Bennett(vs.Can) • Sep 1977: Gerald Davies(vs.Lions) • Dec 1978: Derek Quinnell(vs.NZ) • Jan 1982: Bill Beaumont(vs.Aus)cancelled • Mar 1983: Fergus Slattery(vs.Sco XV) • Dec 1984: Gareth Davies(vs.Aus) • May 1985: Colin Deans(vs.Ita) • Nov 1988: Philip Matthews(vs.Aus) • Nov 1989: David Sole(vs.NZ) • Sep 1990: Nick Farr-Jones(vs.Eng) • Oct 1990: Nick Farr-Jones(vs.Wales) • Nov 1990: [[]](vs.Arg) • Sep 1991: [[]](vs.Sco) • Jun 1992: [[]](vs.Rus) • Nov 1992: [[]](vs.Aus) • Dec 1993: Scott Hastings(vs.NZ) • Jun 1994: [[]](vs.Zim) • Dec 1994: Robert Jones(vs.SA) • 1996: [[]](vs.Ire) • Aug 1996: [[]](vs.Sco) • Aug 1996: Arran Pene(vs.Wal) • Dec 1996: [[]](vs.Aus) •
From 2000 May 2000: Ian Jones(vs.Ire) • May 2000: Zinzan Brooke(vs.Sco) • Aug 2000: [[]](vs.Ger) • Dec 2000: Lawrence Dallaglio(vs.SA) • May 2001: [[]](vs.Wal) • May 2001: Tim Horan(vs.Sco) • May 2001: Gary Teichmann(vs.Eng) • Nov 2001: Rob Howley(vs.Aus) • May 2002: Todd Blackadder(vs.Eng) • May 2002: Pat Lam(vs.Wal) • Jun 2002: Ian Jones(vs.Sco) • May 2003: Taine Randell (vs.Eng) • May 2003: Mick Galwey (vs.Sco) • May 2003: Mark Connors (vs.Wal) • May 2004: Taine Randell (vs.Sco) • May 2004: Matt Burke (vs.Wal) • May 2004: Anton Oliver (vs.Eng) • Jun 2004: Rob Baxter (vs.Por) • Dec 2004: Justin Marshall (vs.NZ) • May 2005: David Humphreys (vs.Sco) • May 2005: Corné Krige (vs.Eng) • May 2006: Raphaël Ibañez (vs.Eng) • May 2006: Will Greenwood (vs.Sco) • Jun 2006: Bobby Skinstad (vs.Geo) • May 2007: Hugh Vyvyan (vs.Tun) • Jun 2007: Hugh Vyvyan (vs.Esp) • Dec 2007: Mark Regan (vs.SA) • May 2008: [[]] (vs.Bel) • May 2008: Morgan Turinui (vs.Ire) • Jun 2008: Mark Regan (vs.Eng) • Dec 2008: John Smit (vs.Aus) • May 2009: Martin Corry (vs.Eng) • Jun 2009: Phil Waugh (vs.Aus) • Dec 2009: Victor Matfield (vs.NZ) • May 2010: Xavier Rush (vs.Eng) • Jun 2010: Xavier Rush (vs.Ire) • Dec 2010: Matt Giteau (vs.SA) • May 2011: Sergio Parisse (vs. Eng) • Jun 2011: Sergio Parisse (vs. Wal)
Ireland national rugby union team captains To 1900 Feb 1875: GH Stack • Dec 1875: R Bell • Feb 1877: R Galbraith • Feb 1877: WH Wilson • Mar 1878: RB Walkington • 1879: WC Neville • 1880: HC Kelly • 1881-Jan 1882: AJ Forrest • Feb 1882: JW Taylor • 1883: G Scriven • Feb 1884: JA McDonald • Mar 1884: DF Moore • Feb 1885: WG Rutherford • Mar 1885: AJ Forrest • Feb 1886: M Johnston • Feb 1886 JP Ross • 1887 RG Warren • Feb-Mar 1888 HJ Neill • Dec 1888-1890 RG Warren • Feb-Mar 1891 Dolway Walkington • Mar 1891 R Stevenson • 1892 Victor Le Fanu • 1893 S Lee • 1894 EG Forrest • Feb 1895 JH O'Conor • Mar 1895 CV Rooke • Mar 1895 EG Forrest • 1896 S Lee • 1897 EG Forrest • Feb 1898 S Lee • Feb 1898 GG Allen • Mar 1898 W Gardiner • 1899-1900 Louis Magee •
To the First World War 1901 Louis Magee • Feb 1902 J Fulton • Mar 1902 Louis Magee • 1903-Feb 1904 Harry Corley • Mar 1904-1906 CE Allen • Feb 1906 Alfred Tedford • Feb 1906-1907 CE Allen • Feb 1908 Harry Thrift • Feb-Mar 1908 James Parke • Feb 1909 Fred Gardiner • Mar 1909 George Hamlet • Mar 1909 Fred Gardiner • Feb 1910 George Hamlet • Mar 1910 Tom Smyth • Mar 1910-1911 George Hamlet • Jan 1912 Dickie Lloyd • Feb 1912 Alexander Foster • Feb 1912-Feb 1914 Dickie Lloyd • Feb-Mar 1914 Alexander Foster •
To the Second World War Feb 1920 Dickie Lloyd • Feb 1920 George Doherty • Mar 1920 Thomas Wallace • Apr 1920 Dickie Lloyd • 1921 George Doherty • Feb 1922 William Collopy • Apr 1922-1923 John Knox Stafford Thompson • Jan-Feb 1924 William Crawford • Feb 1924 William Collopy • Mar 1924-1927 William Crawford • 1928-Feb 1929 George Vaughan Stephenson • Feb 1929 Eugene Davy • Mar 1929-1930 George Vaughan Stephenson • 1931 Mark Sugden • 1932 George Beamish • Feb 1933 Eugene Davy • Mar 1932 George Beamish • Apr 1933 Eugene Davy • 1934-1936 Jack Siggins • 1937-Feb 1938 George Morgan • Mar 1938 Sam Walker • 1939 George Morgan •
To the Professional Era To Be Completed • Jan 1993-Nov 1994:Michael Bradley • Jan 1995:Brendan Mullin • Feb-Mar 1995:Michael Bradley • Mar-May 1995:Terry Kingston • May 1995: Nick Popplewell • Jun 1995:Terry Kingston •
To the Present Day Nov 1995-Feb 1996:Jim Staples • Mar-Nov 1996: Niall Hogan • Nov 1996-Jan 1997: Keith Wood • Feb-Mar 1997:Jim Staples • Nov 1997: Keith Wood • Nov 1997: Nick Popplewell • Dec 1997-Apr 1998: Keith Wood • Jun 1998-Apr 1999: Paddy Johns • Jun-Oct 1999: Dion O'Cuinneagain • 2000-Feb 2001: Keith Wood • Jun 2001: Mick Galwey • Sep-Oct 2001: Keith Wood • Nov 2001: Anthony Foley • Nov 2001: Keith Wood • Feb-Mar 2002: Mick Galwey • Mar 2002: DG Humphreys • Apr-Jun 2002: Keith Wood • Sep 2002: Anthony Foley • Sep 2002: Keith Wood • Sep 2002: Anthony Foley • Nov 2002-Mar 2003: Brian O'Driscoll • Jun 2003: DG Humphreys • Jun 2003: Reggie Corrigan • Aug 2003: Keith Wood • Aug 2003: Brian O'Driscoll • Sep-Nov 2003: Keith Wood • Feb 2004: Paul O'Connell • Feb 2004 - Feb 2005: Brian O'Driscoll • Feb 2005: Paul O'Connell • Feb-Mar 2005: Brian O'Driscoll • Jun 2005: DG Humphreys • Nov 2005: SH Easterby • Nov 2005: DG Humphreys • 2006-Feb 2007: Brian O'Driscoll • Feb 2007: Paul O'Connell • Feb-Mar 2007: Brian O'Driscoll • May-Jun 2007: SJ Best • Aug 2007: Brian O'Driscoll • Aug 2007: Paul O'Connell • Sep 2007-Mar 2008: Brian O'Driscoll • Mar 2008: Ronan O'Gara • Jun 2008-Mar 2009: Brian O'Driscoll • May 2009: Rory Best • Nov 2009-Mar 2011: Brian O'Driscoll • Aug 2011: Leo Cullen • Aug 2011: Brian O'Driscoll • Aug 2011: Paul O'Connell • Sep 2011: Brian O'Driscoll • Sep 2011: Leo Cullen • Oct 2011-present: Brian O'Driscoll
Categories:- 1971 births
- Living people
- Irish rugby union players
- Ireland international rugby union players
- Ulster Rugby players
- Ballymena R.F.C. players
- Queen's University R.F.C. players
- Dungannon R.F.C. players
- London Irish players
- Oxford University rugby union players
- Barbarian F.C. players
- Rugby union fly-halves
- Alumni of Queen's University Belfast
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- People from Belfast
- Solicitors from Northern Ireland
- Alumni of the University of Oxford
- People educated at Ballymena Academy
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