About Philip Orr
Born 1950. Philip Orr is an Irish rugby union player.
Philip Andrew Orr (born 14 December 1950) is a former Irish international rugby union loosehead prop who played for the British Lions. Born in Dublin, Orr was educated at The High School, Dublin, and Trinity College Dublin. He played for Old Wesley for over 20 years and was captain of the team that lifted the Leinster Senior Cup in 1985, his club's first Leinster Senior Cup title in 76 years. In the 1983β84 season he achieved a new record of caps for an Irish prop, reaching 43, all consecutive. For many years Orr was his country's most-capped prop with a then-world record 58 appearances. Orr would have reached 50 consecutive caps were it not for being dropped during the 1986 Five Nations Championship, a decision that "defied belief". He was recalled after one match and made his fiftieth appearance against Scotland.
"One of the most durable forwards of his or any other generation" and a ball-carrying prop, he made his debut against France in 1976 and was part of the Irish teams that won a Triple Crown in 1982 and 1985. French tighthead prop, Jean-Pierre Garuet, called Orr his most difficult opponent, a "colossus ('colosse')" his predecessor Robert Paparemborde had warned him about. The only major international team Orr never played against was the Springboks, who were absent from world rugby for a generation. His last international appearance came on 7 June 1987, at the advanced age of 36 years and 162 days, in Ireland's quarter-final defeat to Australia during the inaugural Rugby World Cup.
In 1991, Orr was president of Old Wesley in its centenary year.
Orr played for the Barbarians on six occasions from 1977 to 1984. He has been a Barbarian trustee for a number of years.
He owned a clothing manufacturing company in Dublin.
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Important facts
People in Philip Orr's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Philip Orr's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Philip Orr?
Irish rugby union player
When was Philip Orr born?
Philip Orr was born on 14 December 1950 in Dublin.
What is Philip Orr's occupation?
Philip Orr is a rugby union player.
What nationality is Philip Orr?
Philip Orr is Irish.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Philip Orr. https://biography.guide/philip-orr/
MLA: "Philip Orr." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/philip-orr/.
Chicago: "Philip Orr." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/philip-orr/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.
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