John Ackland (rugby league)

John Ackland

Ackland coaching Samoa in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Richard John Ackland
Born	(1958-08-02) 2 August 1958 (age 59) Auckland, New Zealand
Playing information
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	89 kg (14 st 0 lb)
Position	Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1977–89 Mount Albert Lions 1982–83 Hunslet 18 6 0 0 18 Total 18 6 0 0 18 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1979–85 Auckland 1983 New Zealand 1 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 2008 Samoa 3 2 0 1 67
Source:

Richard John Ackland (born 2 August 1958) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, coach of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, and scout of the 2000s, and former cricketer of the 1980s, who works for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League. He represented New Zealand in 1983. His late uncle, Ron, also played for New Zealand.

Ackland was born in Auckland, New Zealand.

Ackland played rugby league in New Zealand in the 1980s as a forward. In 1981, he won the Lipscombe Cup while playing in the Auckland Rugby League competition for Mt Albert. He also was named man of the match in the 1981 Fox Memorial grand final, after scoring a try. In 1983, he won the Bert Humphries Memorial for best forward in the competition.

He spent the 1982-83 off-season in England with the Hunslet. In 1986, he moved to New South Wales, playing for the Murwillumbah Brothers club. In 1987, he joined Wagga Brothers as the captain-coach before returning to Mount Albert in 1989 for one last season.

In 1983, he made his one and only appearance for the New Zealand Kiwis, coming off the bench against Papua New Guinea. Ackland also represented Auckland and played in the 1983 draw against Hull F.C.

Ackland also played first-class cricket for Auckland, as a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. From six appearances he took 10 wickets at 30.50.