Where are they now? John Robbie (Dublin 17/11/55)
A talented sportsman, he also played cricket for Ireland Schools. But it was at rugby he excelled, playing for Greystones and Leinster before being selected for his first full international cap alongside Ollie Campbell against the touring Wallabies in 1976. He toured New Zealand in the same year lining out at scrum-half in the one and only test.
He was called out to South Africa for the Lions in 1980, playing in the fourth and final test in Pretoria and contributing significantly to a memorable victory for the tourists. He played his ninth and final match for Ireland against Scotland in 1981 before emigrating to Johannesburg where he still lives to this day.
Amazingly in his nine matches for Ireland he experienced defeat in every one, yet for the Lions, victory in his one appearance was the only test success on that tour. Today he is a hugely popular broadcaster with his own daily three hour show on South African national radio. He also does some commentating for South African TV with the occasional appearance for RTE mixed in.
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Compiled by Tony Ward and David Kelly
