Robert A. Irving (15 February 1948 – 18 April 1999) was an English World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. A Great Britain and England international, and Yorkshire representative second-row, he played at club level for Oldham, Wigan, Salford, Barrow, Blackpool Borough and Swinton.^[2]

Background

Bob irving was born in Castle Hill, Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he was a hotelier in Blackpool, and studied for a degree, becoming a senior lecturer in business studies at Blackpool and The Fylde College. He was active in the Catholic Church, and undertook charity work in his spare time, regularly manning a soup kitchen for homeless and displaced people, and he died aged 51, following a heart attack in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.^[5]

Playing career

Irving was transferred, aged 16, from St. Joseph's ARLFC (in Huddersfield) to Oldham, and within a few weeks, he was playing in the first team.^[6]

International honours

Irving won caps for England while at Wigan in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup against Wales, France, and Australia,^[3] and won caps for Great Britain while at Oldham in 1967 against France (2 matches), and Australia (3 matches), in 1970 against Australia (sub), and New Zealand, in 1971 against New Zealand, in 1972 against France (sub), and in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup against New Zealand, and Australia (sub).^[4]

County Cup Final appearances

Bob Irving played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Oldham's 13–16 defeat by Wigan in the 1966–67 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1966–67 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 29 October 1966,^[7] and played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in the 2–30 defeat by St. Helens in the 1968–69 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1968–69 season at Central Park, Wigan on Friday 25 October 1968, played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in Wigan's 19–9 victory over Salford in the 1973–74 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1973–74 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973,^[8] and played right-prop, i.e. number 10, in the 13–16 defeat by Workington Town in the 1977–78 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1977–78 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1977.

Honoured at Oldham

Robert Irving is an Oldham Hall of Fame Inductee.^[9]

Note

The "Tracking down the heroes of 1972" reference misstates his year of death as 2002, it was 1999.^[5] The "Obituary: Bob Irving at independent.co.uk" reference misstates his month of birth as December, it was February.^[10]