Gavin Clinch

{{Short description|Ireland international rugby league footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Gavin Clinch

|fullname =

|nickname = Clinch the Pinch

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|09|13|df=y}}

|birth_place = {{AUS}}

|death_date =

|height =

|weight =

|position = {{rlp|SH}}

|club1 = Cronulla Sharks

|year1start = 1995

|year1end =

|appearances1 = 1

|tries1 = 1

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 4

|club2 = Penrith Panthers

|year2start = 1996

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 10

|tries2 = 0

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 0

|club3 = St. George Dragons

|year3start = 1997

|year3end =

|appearances3 = 16

|tries3 = 2

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 8

|club4 = Halifax

|year4start = 1998

|year4end = 99

|appearances4 = 41

|tries4 = 21

|goals4 = 31

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 151

|club5 = Wigan Warriors

|year5start = 1999

|year5end =

|appearances5 = 12

|tries5 = 4

|goals5 = 12

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 40

|club6 = {{nowrap|Huddersfield-Sheffield}}

|year6start = 2000

|year6end =

|appearances6 = 21

|tries6 = 5

|goals6 = 0

|fieldgoals6 = 1

|points6 = 21

|club7 = Halifax

|year7start = 2001

|year7end = 02

|appearances7 = 57

|tries7 = 11

|goals7 = 14

|fieldgoals7 = 0

|points7 = 62

|club8 = Salford City Reds

|year8start = 2003

|year8end = 04

|appearances8 = 26

|tries8 = 1

|goals8 = 0

|fieldgoals8 = 1

|points8 = 5

|teamA = Ireland

|yearAstart = 2000

|yearAend = 01

|appearancesA = 3

|triesA = 2

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 8

|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Gavin-Clinch/summary.html Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org]

|updated = 13 April 2012

}}

Gavin Clinch (born {{birth date|1974|09|13|df=y}}) is a former Ireland international rugby league footballer who played as a {{rlp|sh}} in the 1990s and 2000s.

Clinch played at representative level for Ireland, and at club level for Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Penrith Panthers, St. George Dragons,Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney Halifax (two spells), Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants, and Salford City Reds.

Gavin Clinch moved to Halifax at the beginning of 1998's Super League III season and was that year selected in the Super League Dream Team.[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/local/GAVIN-CLINCHES-HAPPY-RETURN.314763.jp "Gavin Clinch's happy return"] 12 September 2000 The Halifax Evening Courier He later won international caps for Ireland while at Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants, and Halifax 2000–2001 1-cap plus 1 as substitute.{{cite book|first1= Graham|last1= Williams|first2= Peter|last2= Lush|first3= David|last3= Farrar|title= The British Rugby League Records Book|publisher= London League|isbn= 978-1-903659-49-6|year= 2009|pages= 104–105}}

In recent times, ‘The Pinch’, pioneered the Bosco Bulldogs Reserve Grade side to a Premiership in the 2023 Cronulla Sharks JRL Competition, finishing the year undefeated.