PremiumOpinionOpinion byPhil GiffordContributing Sports Writer·NZ Herald·31 May, 2026 05:00 PM4 mins to readPhil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism. Earle Kirton has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo / PhotosportEarle Kirton’s appointment as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit is a richly reserved reward for a rugby career that combined huge ability on the field, extraordinary resilience and selectorial gifts.
The statistics tell one story. He played 41 times for New Zealand, including 13 tests. He
