Andy Ripley

Andrew George Ripley OBE (1 December 1947 – 17 June 2010) was an English rugby union international, who represented England from 1972 to 1976,

Rugby career Ripley played for the Rosslyn Park club for his entire career.

He made his international debut on 15 January 1972 at Twickenham in the England vs Wales match. He also represented the UK in the 1981 World Championship and the 1982 International.

A tremendously strong runner, Ripley dominated the 800 metres contest, winning this race in the 1981 World final and in most Superstars events he entered. Tall and muscular, Ripley had enormous stamina and also performed well in the canoeing or rowing events; again he won this event in the World Final, setting a new record time in the process.

As was the case with other British Superstars of the era, Ripley could not attempt to win the events by picking up points in every event – he had to use the popular tactic of scoring as highly in his 'banker' events as possible, and holding on in the others. Unfortunately for Ripley his size proved to be a disadvantage in the gymnasium tests – he was too big to contemplate parallel bar dips or squat thrusts and while he could lift prodigious amounts in the weightlifting, his heavy bodyweight meant that smaller athletes would always win using the coefficient system. He could also have used a little luck – a puncture right at the start of the 1981 British Final cycling race cost him eight valuable points, and any chance of the title. Instead it went to Keith Fielding, his former England Rugby Sevens teammate.

Undoubtedly Ripley's finest hour in Superstars came in Israel in the 1981 International, when he gained revenge on Fielding and won the prestigious title. He defended his title a year later in Hong Kong, but could not defeat the best European Superstar of all-time, Brian Hooper, finishing second. With the contest as much about camaraderie as athletic prowess for many of the competitors however, Ripley's outgoing, larger-than-life persona fitted in very well. His final appearance in Superstars came in the 1983 UK Past Masters event, where he again finished runner-up, this time to another former champion David Hemery.

Superstars record

Honours Ripley was awarded the OBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours.

In 1998, he became an indoor rowing world record holder in the 50–54 yrs age-group on the Concept2 ergometer (2000m in 6:07.7).

Ripley won the 'Best Rugby Book' category of the 2008 British Sports Book Awards for his memoir Ripley's World.

Death Ripley was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005, and died on 17 June 2010.