Terry Kennedy (rugby union, born 1996)

Terry Kennedy
Date of birth (1996-07-04) July 4, 1996 (age 27)
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight84 kg (185 lb)
Occupation(s)Professional rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre (7s);
Wing (15s)
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016– St. Mary's ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2018 Leinster ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016 Ireland U20 3 (5)
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2016– Ireland 7s 40
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  Ireland
European Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Kraków–Małopolska Team competition

Terry Kennedy (born 4 July 1996) is an Irish rugby union player who has played for the Ireland national rugby sevens team since 2016.

Kennedy was a member of the Irish team that won the silver medals of 2017 Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series. He also helped Ireland win the 2018 Moscow Sevens tournament[1] — he scored two tries in the final as Ireland defeated Germany 28–7,[2] and was the leading try scorer in the tournament overall with nine tries.[3]

Kennedy scored a try in the final of the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens qualifier to help Ireland defeat Hong Kong 28–7 and qualify for the 2019–20 World Rugby Sevens Series. He was named as a member of the HSBC Dream Team, as well as being crowned the Top Try Scorer for the 2021–22 World Rugby Sevens Series.[4]

In his youth, Kennedy played for the Ireland national under–20 team. He was a member of the under-20 squad that were runners up in the World Cup Final. Kennedy plays his club rugby with St. Mary's College with whom he won the All-Ireland League 1B title in 2017.

Kennedy competed for Ireland at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.[5] Kennedy won the 2022 World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year.[6][7]

Kennedy's father, also named Terry, was an Irish rugby union international, winning 13 caps between 1978 and 1981.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Ireland Men's squad confirmed for London 7s", Nenagh Guardian, 30 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Leinster's Kennedy scores two tries as Ireland win the Moscow 7s", The 42, 20 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Irish warm up for golden summer of sevens with Moscow win", World Rugby, 21 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Kennedy Claims World Sevens Series Awards Double". Irish Times. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Ireland Squads Named For Rugby World Cup Sevens In Cape Town". Irish Rugby. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  6. ^ "The best Men's Sevens Player in the World, Terry Kennedy!". Twitter. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Ireland's Terry Kennedy named World Rugby men's 7s player of the year". the42. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  8. ^ Tracey, Cian (31 December 2020). "'It is tough when you are hitting targets and not getting a whole lot of financial reward' – sevens star Terry Kennedy". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 October 2023.