He scored a try against New Zealand at the 1995 Rugby World Cup and subsequently celebrated with an obscene gesture directed at the All Blacks.
[6] There, he threw the hammer on the Jasper's track team, and set college and meet records at the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America.
[9] After graduating from Manhattan College in 1988, Halpin went back to Ireland the following year and began his club rugby career at Wanderers F.C.
[2] He notably scored one try against New Zealand during the pool stage of the latter tournament and celebrated by jogging backwards and flashing both middle fingers at the All Blacks.
[6][7] He later expressed regret for doing this in 2019,[13][14] adding how he did this in retaliation to Sean Fitzpatrick – who set the All Blacks appearance record that same game[15] – provoking the Irish side by calling them Paddies.
[6][15] Halpin played his final game with the national team on 10 June 1995,[2] when Ireland lost to France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.