Philip Douglas Gifford (born 1947) is a New Zealand sportswriter and broadcaster. He has his own rugby radio show ''Front Row'' on

Radio Sport Radio Sport (previously Sports Roundup) was a New Zealand sports radio radio network, network and the talk radio, talkback sister network of Newstalk ZB. It held commentary rights for most cricket matches, international and domestic rugby uni ...

from 8 to 10am on Saturdays. He writes a weekly column in the country's highest circulation weekend paper, ''

The Sunday Star-Times The ''Sunday Star-Times'' is a New Zealand newspaper published each weekend in Auckland. It covers both national and international news, and is a member of the New Zealand Press Association and Newspaper Publishers Association of New Zealand. ...

'', and is a contributing editor to '' North & South'' magazine. He created the satirical rugby character Loosehead Len in 1973, and has seven books under that name. Gifford has written rugby best-sellers including his book on

Alex Wyllie Alexander John "Grizz" Wyllie (born 30 August 1944) is a New Zealand rugby union former player and coach. Playing career Wyllie began his rugby career playing for Glenmark Rugby Club, in North Canterbury. During his first-class career he playe ...

''Grizz, The Legend''
(1991, ), which has sold 30,000 copies, making it the biggest-selling New Zealand sports book of the 1990s. He co-hosted a top rating breakfast show with

Simon Barnett Simon Barnett (born 23 March 1967) is a radio and television host and presenter in New Zealand. Barnett co-hosted the morning show on Christchurch radio station 92 More FM with Gary McCormick until 2018, and previously with Phil Gifford. He ha ...

. Barnett and Gifford hosted the breakfast show on 91ZM Christchurch between 1992 and 1997 before being enticed to work on opposition station 92 More FM for a large sum of money. Gifford continued to co-host breakfast on More FM, Christchurch until 2003 when he moved to Radio Sport. 91ZM Christchurch was a top rating station in Christchurch when he and Barnett hosted breakfast and More FM Christchurch enjoyed the top rating spot in the years following this. In 2019, Gifford rejoined

on Newstalk ZB Weekday Afternoons until mid 2021. In 2002, he won a celebrity special of

The Weakest Link ''Weakest Link'' (also known as ''The Weakest Link'') is a television game show which The Weakest Link (British game show), first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and originally ended on 31 March 2012 when its host ...

raising $9600 for a nominated charity. Gifford writes a music column for Auckland magazine North & South.

References

External links

Phil Gifford's Opinion at Rugby Heaven
1947 births Living people New Zealand columnists New Zealand journalists New Zealand radio presenters New Zealand sportswriters New Zealand sports historians Rugby historians and writers {{NewZealand-writer-stub