2012: 2008 was a memorable year for specialist first five-eighth Daniel Kirkpatrick, winning the IRB U20 World Cup in June and being named Player of the Tournament, winning the Ranfurly Shield with the Vodafone Wellington Lions in September and then being selected for the Hurricanes and also welcoming the birth of his first child in October. For Kirkpatrick, these are a continuation of a long list of achievements so far, having also won the U19 World Cup and debuted for the Lions as an 18-year old in 2007.

Kirkpatrick kicked a conversion with the first touch of the ball in Air New Zealand Cup rugby and finished with four from four kicks as the Lions came from behind to beat Counties Manukau 33-18.

He was an integral part of the team that won the 2007 IRB U19 World Championship in Belfast in April with a resounding 31-7 defeat of South Africa in the final.

He moved to Wellington from the Hawke’s Bay at the start of 2007 to study Commerce and Administration at Victoria University and played his first game for his club side? Petone soon after returning from Northern Ireland, where his sound option taking and excellent tactical kicking game impressed all, including grassroots teammate Tana Umaga in his last season.

In June Kirkpatrick became a WRFU contracted player and joined the Wellington Academy, ahead of selection in the Wellington Maori squad.

In 2008 Kirkpatrick was named in the New Zealand U20 team that contested the IRB U20 World Cup in Wales.

A shoulder injury in the second round, curtailed his 2008 ANZC with the Lions, but he returned six weeks later and won selection in the starting XV against Auckland in the Ranfurly Shield challenge.

Previously, he spent three seasons in the Napier Boys' High School first fifteen and in 2006 played a starring role in the New Zealand Secondary Schools' 18-8 win over their Australian counterparts, scoring a try, a conversion and two penalties for 13 points.

Kirkpatrick's father John is a world champion shearer, in 2002 becoming the first shearer since 1989 to beat the legendary David Fagan in the Golden Shears final.

Kirkpatrick played four times for the Hurricanes in 2009, twice off the bench after starting the first two games against the Waratahs and the Highlanders.

He joined the Blues for the 2010 Super 14 and the Hawke’s Bay Magpies for the 2010 ITM Cup, before being re-selected in the Hurricanes squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season.

Kirkpatrick played a leading hand in Hawke's Bay's 2011 ITM Cup championship winning team, with a series of positive and assured performances at pivot.

Source: www.hurricanes.co.nz