Emotions run high in Connacht as John Muldoon makes final bow
Connacht will bid farewell to one of their all-time greats when John Muldoon plays his final game on Saturday, after a 17-year association with the club.
It will be his 327th appearance for his native province, having made his debut in October 2003.
It’s been a long and often hard road for the Portumna man, one where team success seemed so far away.
254 – @JohnMuldoon8 will run out for his 254th and final @PRO14Official appearance this weekend, only one other player has more than 200. Farewell. pic.twitter.com/HF7xqv1DGQ
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) April 27, 2018
Muldoon didn’t experience Heineken Cup rugby until the 2011/12 season, courtesy of Leinster winning the trophy the previous year. In fact the backrow only had four season’s playing in European rugby’s elite competition, their most successful campaign was in 2016/17 when they won four of their six pool matches, but the knockout stage always eluded Connacht. Muldoon made 52 appearances in Europe, just one behind Eric Elwood, with Michael Swift the top appearance-maker on 65.
Many players left the Sportsground in search of silverware and further Ireland caps – such as Mike McCarthy in 2013 to Leinster. But Muldoon stuck it out and was eventually rewarded with an upturn in fortunes for the western province following the appointment of Pat Lam.
The pinnacle came when Muldoon captained Connacht to a shock PRO12 title in 2016, beating Leinster 20-10 in the final, to claim the only major trophy in the provinces 133-year history.
The 35-year-old packs down at number eight against the same opposition for his last match.
“It’s my final time to throw on the green jersey and I just want to do the lads justice before I bow out at the Sportsground. It has actually crept up on me and I have had mixed emotions this week when I have gone into training with the lads.” he said
“It’s been bittersweet getting ready for this game against Leinster. It has built up nicely towards a game against a phenomenal team and they were outstanding in their Champions Cup win over Scarlets again last weekend.”
Ahead of the game his club have made an emotional video tribute to the robust forward.
Internationally things never truly took off for Muldoon, he made his debut against Canada in May 2009. The last of his three caps came in June 2010 when he started at blindside flanker against the All Blacks, only to be forced off before half-time because of injury.
He also appeared 11 times for the Ireland’s second string sides, Ireland ‘A’ and the Irish Wolfhounds. He featured once for the Barbarians, coming off the bench in a 27-24 win over Tonga at Thomand Park last November.
Now Muldoon will turn his hand to coaching, with a move to Bristol to become the defence coach at the Premiership club, linking up with Lam once again.
“John has played more games than anyone else in the PRO14 and he has an intelligent rugby brain. When we coached together in the Galway community and worked closely together on gameplan and leadership strategy whilst at Connacht, I could see he had the makings of an excellent coach.” Lam said after the long-rumoured appointment was confirmed.
But before that Muldoon would dearly like to sign off his playing career in style by getting one over on Leinster.
“It certainly won’t be easy to finish my career against them, but I am looking forward to getting stuck into my last game for my province.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Hopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
6 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
71 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
71 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
71 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
71 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
71 Go to commentsNZ has such a rich history of quality number nines, and woman beaters.
1 Go to commentsThat’s what happens when you are scared of scrums
3 Go to comments