Paul Ackford
Encyclopedia
Paul Ackford is a former English
rugby union
international who played lock forward. He was formerly an inspector in the Metropolitan Police
, and is now a journalist.
Ackford was born in Hanover
, West Germany
. Educated at Plymouth College
and Cambridge University, 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 1988. After impressing for the London Division against the touring Wallabies
, he made his England debut on 5 November 1988 against Australia, aged 30.
Partnering 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". Ackford was part of the England side which 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
. His column is available online at telegraph.co.uk.
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
international who played lock forward. He was formerly an inspector in the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
, and is now a journalist.
Ackford was born in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Educated at Plymouth College
Plymouth College
Plymouth College is a co-educational independent school in Plymouth, Devon, England, for day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 to 18...
and Cambridge University, he played lock for England B
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
aged 21 and represented Cambridge
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
in the 1979 Varsity Match
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
, but did not make an impact until joining Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
and the Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
in 1988. After impressing for the London Division against the touring Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, he made his England debut on 5 November 1988 against Australia, aged 30.
Partnering Wade Dooley
Wade Dooley
Wade Dooley is a former England rugby union international who played lock forward. He played for his country 55 times and was known as the "Blackpool Tower", as a result of being 6 feet 8 inches tall and a police officer with Lancashire Constabulary in Blackpool.Dooley was born in Warrington,...
, Ackford became an important part of the new side captained by Will Carling
Will Carling
William David Charles Carling, OBE is a former Rugby union player for Harlequins, and a former captain of England from 1988 to 1996, winning 72 caps.-Early life:...
. He went on the 1989 British Lions tour to Australia
1989 British Lions tour to Australia
In 1989 the British Lions toured Australia for the first time since 1971. Despite losing the first test, the Lions won the remaining two to take the series 2-1...
, where he played in all three tests.
In 1990 he was knocked unconscious when blindsided by the young Argentine front row forward Federico Mendez
Federico Mendez
Federico Mendez , also known as Freddie Mendez is an Argentine rugby union footballer.Méndez played professional rugby in South Africa, England and France...
, which saw Mendez sent off. Mendez later claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, and that he had meant to hit Jeff Probyn
Jeff Probyn
Jeff Probyn is an English former Rugby Union player.The Askeans, Streatham and Wasps prop was selected in England's squad for the 1987 Rugby World Cup, but Probyn did not make his international debut until 1988, at the age of 31, against France...
, because he had "stamped on my goolies". Ackford was part of the England side which 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
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
. His column is available online at telegraph.co.uk.