The death has taken place of Jack Arigho, a made who made a profound impact on the international rugby scene when he made his debut in 1928 and who that year set a try-scoring record that still stands. He was 92.
Jack was born in July 1907 and educated at both Blackrock and Castleknock. He made his debut for Leinster as a 20-year-old in the autumn of 1927. A few months later he made his international debut against France in Belfast and marked that occasion by scoring two tries in Ireland's 12-8 victory. He scored a try against England in his second international when Ireland lost 6-7. He missed the match against Scotland that season due to injury, but returned against Wales and scored two tries in Ireland's 13-10 win in Cardiff. He thus scored five tries in three championship matches in a season, a record that still stands. He went on to win 16 caps for Ireland.
He was part of an all-Lansdowne three-quarter line that represented Ireland three times against Scotland, Wales and South Africa in 1931. That was a period of immense achievement for the Lansdowne club and Jack was the central figure in their many triumphs. He helped the club to win the Leinster Senior Cup five times in succession between 1927 and 1931 and was again on the team that captured the title in 1933. In that period Lansdowne also won the Bateman Cup three times in a row between 1928-29 and 1930-31. He captained the club in 1935-36.
He retained a great love of and interest in the game through the years and was honoured for his contribution to the game nine years ago when he was the recipient of a Rugby Writers of Ireland Hall of Fame Award. He was a man who never treated life's journey as in any way a burden. He had a great capacity to entertain, something he retained to the closing stages of his long and fruitful life.
For a period he wrote a lively and entertaining rugby column on The Sunday Press.
He was a very popular figure and will be greatly missed, most notably by the older generation of Lansdowne members and by the members of his family. He is survived by his sons Brian, Rev Fr Desmond and his daughter Marie and grandchildren.
