Paul Ackford
{{Short description|English rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{ infobox Rugby biography
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|2|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Hanover, West Germany
| height = {{height|m=1.98|precision=0}}
| weight ={{convert|112|kg|lbs|abbr=on}}
| ru_position = Lock
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 =
| years1 =
| clubs1 =
| apps1 =
| points1 =
| repyears1 = 1988-1991
| repteam1 = {{nrut|England}}
| repcaps1 = 25
| reppoints1 =4
}}
Paul Ackford (born 26 February 1958) is a former English rugby union international who played lock forward. He was formerly an inspector in the Metropolitan Police and a columnist for The Telegraph.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/paulackford/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914125132/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/paulackford/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-09-14 |title=Paul Ackford - Sunday Telegraph's Rugby Union Columnist |work=The Telegraph|access-date=2012-10-03}}
Early life
Ackford was born in Hanover, West Germany.
Education
He was educated at Plymouth College, the University of Kent (BA) and Cambridge University (MA). He played lock for England B aged 21 and represented Cambridge in the 1979 Varsity Match, but did not make an impact until joining Harlequins and the Police in 1983.
Career
After impressing for the London Division against the touring Wallabies, he made his England debut on 5 November 1988 against Australia, aged 30.
Partnering police constable Wade Dooley, Ackford became an important part of the new side captained by Will Carling. He went on the 1989 British Lions tour to Australia, where he played in all three tests.
In 1990 he was knocked unconscious when blindsided by the young Argentine front row forward Federico Mendez, which saw Mendez sent off. Mendez later claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, and that he had meant to hit Jeff Probyn, because he had "stamped on my goolies".{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/uk-clubs/ruck-stars-hitting-it-off-in-the-world-of-rugby-955351.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122112748/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/uk-clubs/ruck-stars-hitting-it-off-in-the-world-of-rugby-955351.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 November 2008 | title=Ruck stars: Hitting it off in the world of rugby | first=Tim | last=Glover | work=The Independent | date=2008-10-09 | access-date=2010-05-18 }} Ackford was part of the England side that won the Five Nations Grand Slam in 1991. He retired from international rugby after the 1991 World Cup, won by Australia, becoming a journalist and writing for the Sunday Telegraph.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.planet-rugby.com/stats/players/players_listing.phtml/p_r/ENG?setCode=archive&search_text=Paul+Ackford&tournament_code=international&country=&scdate=1871&ecdate=2004&position=&sbdate=1871&ebdate=2004&go=Submit Planet-rugby stats and bio]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=711 Sporting heroes 1]
- [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=712 sporting heroes 2]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20001219165200/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Telegraph.co.uk]
{{British and Irish Lions 1989}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1989 France}}
{{Four Home Unions 1990}}
{{England Squad 1991 World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ackford, Paul}}
Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
Category:Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players
Category:The Daily Telegraph people
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Harlequin F.C. players
Category:Metropolitan Police officers
Category:People educated at Plymouth College
Category:Rosslyn Park F.C. players
Category:Alumni of the University of Kent
Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England