Kyran Bracken
| Height | 1.80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Weight | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green, Lancashire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Bristol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Victoria Bracken | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kyran Paul Patrick Bracken MBE (born 22 November, 1971 in Dublin, Ireland) is a former English rugby union footballer who played at scrum-half for Saracens, Bristol and Waterloo R.F.C.
He won a total of 51 England caps and captained the team on three occasions, retiring from international rugby in 2004.
His father was a dentist and his mother had played hockey for Ireland. They originally lived in Skerries in North Dublin but moved to England when Kyran was four.
He was brought up in Liverpool and was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at St. Edward's College, and later was sent to the Jesuit Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. He attended a trial for Liverpool F.C. and scored three goals. He also flirted with the idea of playing rugby league for St Helens RFC.
After school he did a law degree at the University of Bristol whom he represented at rugby union. He was turned down by Ireland as 'not good enough' but signed up by Bristol.
Bracken made his England debut in November 1993 against the All Blacks. However, a stamp from Jamie Joseph seriously injured his ankle, putting him out of action for three months and leaving him with a permanent weakness. He started the 1994 Five Nations, but was dropped half-way through in favour of Dewi Morris. He missed the summer tour to South Africa, studying for law exams, but played in the 1995 Five Nations. Injury kept him out of the 1995 World Cup.
Kyran joined Saracens in 1996 and was part of the team that won the Tetley's Bitter Cup against Wasps in 1998.
He missed out on selection for the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in favour of Matt Dawson and Austin Healey, but was called up as injury replacement for Rob Howley but did not play in the tests.
He then became an irregular scrum half for England, with Dawson generally having the upper hand but being frequently injured. Bracken himself had a serious back injury that kept him out for most of the 1999 - 2000 season, including the 1999 World Cup.
He missed out on selection for 2001 British Lions tour to Australia, instead captaining England on a three match development tour of North America. In 2003 he played in the summer tour beating Australia and New Zealand. He appeared four times for England during the 2003 World Cup. He won his 50th cap against Wales in the quarter-final, and gained his last cap in the semi-final against France.
Dancing on Ice
Kyran starred in and won ITV1's celebrity ice dancing competition Dancing on Ice. In the semi-final he received the highest score in the history of Dancing on Ice so far (29.5 out of a possible 30) and was voted into the final alongside actress Clare Buckfield and former Blue member Duncan James.
He won the final on 17th March 2007 after a performance which included the required element of "flying" on wires and a final performance of Bolero.
On the 24th March 2007 he won the special edition of Dancing On Ice 'The Champion of Champions', after repeating his record 29.5 point score.
He is currently on tour with Holiday on Ice in their show romanza.
Charitable work
He is an Honorary President of the rugby charity Wooden Spoon improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Britain and Ireland.