Malcolm O'Kelly

Malcolm O'Kelly

Malcolm O'Kelly signing autographs at the RDS, November 2009
Full name	Malcolm O'Kelly
Date of birth	19 July 1974 (1974-07-19) (age 37)
Place of birth	Chelmsford, Essex, England
Height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight	18 st 5 lb (117 kg)
Nickname	Big Mal
School	Templeogue College
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Second Row
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1996-2000 2000-2010	London Irish Barbarians	56 4	(25) (5)
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1995-1996, 2000-2010	Leinster	183	(55)
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1997–2008 2001, 2005	Ireland British and Irish Lions	92 0	(40) (0)

Malcolm O'Kelly (born 19 July 1974 in Chelmsford, England) is a retired Irish rugby union player who played as a lock for Ireland and Leinster.

The 6'8" (2.03 m) O'Kelly, who made his international début in 1997 against New Zealand, became a talisman of the Irish side and was Ireland's all-time caps leader, surpassing Mike Gibson, on 12 February 2005 when he started in Ireland's Six Nations fixture against Scotland. O'Kelly not only earned his 70th cap, but scored Ireland's first try in the match, giving them a lead they never relinquished. O'Kelly has since been surpassed by Brian O'Driscoll, but earned 92 test caps in his career.^[1]

O'Kelly also played with the Lions on their tour to Australia, and had been named in the Lions squad for their 2005 tour of New Zealand, but aggravated a groin injury in training and was replaced by Simon Shaw. He has five Lions caps.^[1]

At the end of the 09/10 season, O'Kelly announced his retirement from professional rugby. He is the only player in the Heineken cup to have played since the start of the competition – 15 years. He has won a grand slam, the Heineken cup, the Magners League(3) and 5 Triple Crowns: he is also Ireland's most capped second row. As well as that, he is a two time British and Irish Lion.

O'Kelly attended Templeogue College secondary school in Dublin. He has played for the Barbarians FC three times, wearing his old school socks.^[2] O'Kelly completed a B.A. in Engineering at Trinity College, Dublin between 1992 and 1996.

O'Kelly is a supporter of the children's charity Plan Ireland ^[3] and is a committee member of the rugby sevens club, Shamrock Warriors RFC.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Leinster Player Profile
2. ^ Barbarians Player Profile
3. ^ "Plan and TV3 launch child sponsorship appeal". Plan Ireland. http://plan.ie/about-plan/news/plan-team-with-tv3-to-launch-child-sponsorship-appeal/?searchterm=Malcolm%20Kelly. Retrieved 24 September 2010. 
4. ^ "Shamrock Warriors Committee". http://shamrockwarriors.com/committee.php. Retrieved 2011-05-18. 

External links

• Leinster profile
• Ireland Profile
• Profile at sporting-heroes.net, including caps from 1997–2000 (retrieved 6 February 2005)
• Profile at sporting-heroes.net, including caps from 2001–2002 (retrieved 6 February 2005)
• Profile at sporting-heroes.net, including caps from 2003–present (retrieved 6 February 2005)

Persondata
Name	Okelly, Malcolm
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	19 July 1974
Place of birth	Chelmsford, Essex, England
Date of death
Place of death