George Simpkin
Birth name | George Dreadon Simpkin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 22 May 1943 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Northland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 7 May 2020 | (aged 76)||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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George Dreadon Simpkin (22 May 1943 – 7 May 2020)[1] was a New Zealand rugby union coach, known for working with the national teams of Fiji, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. He made a great contribution to the development of rugby union and rugby sevens in those countries.[2][3]
Biography
Early coaching career
A native of
In aggregate, under his leadership, Waikato played 152 matches in the provincial championship, winning 95 matches, drawing 3 and losing 54,Fiji
Between 1987 and 1991, Simpkin coached the Fiji national team: in 1987 he took the team to the quarterfinals of the first world championship in tandem with Jo Sovau;[14] in 1991 he coached alongside Samisoni Viriviri, however, the team did not get past the group stage.[15] Simpkin also coached the Fiji Sevens team between 1984 and 1990, with which he won the annual Hong Kong Sevens in 1984 and 1990. It is believed that it was Simpkin who saw the talent of the future world star Waisale Serevi.[16]
Hong Kong and China
In 1988–1999, he permanently worked in the
Sri Lanka
For some time, Simpkin also worked with the national teams of
End of career
Later, Simpkin coached the German club
Contribution to the development of world rugby
It is believed that George Simpkin developed a plastic
Personal life
He was married to Pip, he had two daughters, Leigh and Greer, two grandsons, Carter and Curtis, who live in Sydney and a granddaughter, Holly, who lives in Berlin.[33] During the quarantine, his daughter Greer wrote to him the poem Ode to George, dedicated to her father.[34]
Throughout his life, Simpkin fought against arthritis with Traditional Chinese medicine to strengthen his health. Simpkin died of cancer in Hamilton,[35] on 7 May 2020.[36][37]
References
- ^ "View George SIMPKIN's Notice on nzherald.co.nz and share memories". notices.nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ admin (22 May 2020). "Rugby Matters: Odd-ball George Simpkin was a true rugby visionary". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Hong Kong rugby mourns death of former coach George Simpkin, 77". South China Morning Post. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Coaching guru back where it all started". Stuff. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "International rugby community farewells innovative coach George Simpkin". Stuff. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Coaching guru back where it all started". Stuff. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "International rugby community farewells innovative coach George Simpkin". Stuff. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Hong Kong rugby mourns death of former coach George Simpkin, 77". South China Morning Post. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ admin (22 May 2020). "Rugby Matters: Odd-ball George Simpkin was a true rugby visionary". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Bay of Plenty Rugby pays tribute to coaching great George Simpkin". NZ Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Profile | New Zealand Rugby History". rugbyhistory.co.nz. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Coaching guru back where it all started". Stuff. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "International rugby community farewells innovative coach George Simpkin". Stuff. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Expat or local row as Fiji hunts a new national coach". ESPN.com. 12 November 1999. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ admin (22 May 2020). "Rugby Matters: Odd-ball George Simpkin was a true rugby visionary". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ admin (22 May 2020). "Rugby Matters: Odd-ball George Simpkin was a true rugby visionary". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ Union, Hong Kong Rugby (25 October 2020). "George Simpkin". Hong Kong Rugby Union. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Hong Kong rugby mourns death of former coach George Simpkin, 77". South China Morning Post. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "International rugby community farewells innovative coach George Simpkin". Stuff. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Hong Kong rugby mourns death of former coach George Simpkin, 77". South China Morning Post. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Hong Kong rugby mourns death of former coach George Simpkin, 77". South China Morning Post. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "The Late George Simpkin – A Rugby Legend's Love". magzter.com. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ admin (22 May 2020). "Rugby Matters: Odd-ball George Simpkin was a true rugby visionary". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "International rugby community farewells innovative coach George Simpkin". Stuff. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "George Simpkin: Former Sri Lanka rugby coach dies". CeylonToday. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Coaching guru back where it all started". Stuff. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Simpkin neuer Siebener-Nationaltrainer". op-online.de (in German). 5 February 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Former Development Coach Simpkin Passes Away". Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Coaching guru back where it all started". Stuff. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "George Simpkin: Former Sri Lanka rugby coach dies". CeylonToday. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Coaching guru back where it all started". Stuff. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Bay of Plenty Rugby pays tribute to coaching great George Simpkin". NZ Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "International rugby community farewells innovative coach George Simpkin". Stuff. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Hong Kong rugby mourns death of former coach George Simpkin, 77". South China Morning Post. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ admin (22 May 2020). "Rugby Matters: Odd-ball George Simpkin was a true rugby visionary". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "George Simpkin: Former Sri Lanka rugby coach dies". CeylonToday. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
External links
- George Simpkin at New Zealand Rugby History