Stewart McKinney (rugby union)

Stewart Alexander McKinney (born 20 November 1946)[1] is a former Ireland international rugby union player from County Tyrone who was capped 25 times by his country. An abrasive back-row forward, he played for the British and Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa in 1974. Known as Stew, he kicked a penalty in the Lions narrow 11-9 victory over the Orange Free State in game 14 and later wrote a book chronicling the Lions undefeated tour.[2]

McKinney represented Ulster and played club rugby for Dungannon before moving to England and joining London Irish.

He suffered whiplash on a number of occasions and in later life this has led to dizziness: McKinney's brain will be donated to medical science after his death.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. pp. 12:24. ISBN 0-460-07003-7.
  2. ^ 'McKinney tells best Lions Tales'. Lions Rugby, 22 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2024
  3. ^ Peter Jackson, 'McKinney will donate his brain to science'. The Rugby Paper, 19 March 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2024