Fergus McFadden retires from rugby
Leinster Rugby back Fergus McFadden has this morning announced his decision to retire from professional rugby at the end of the season. Speaking to Peter O’Reilly in today’s Sunday Times, the 184 times capped Kildare native confirmed his decision to retire whenever the 2019/20 season concludes.
McFadden made his debut for Leinster Rugby in the number 13 jersey against Cardiff Blues in September 2007, but of course over the next 13 years, McFadden would play in numerous positions and this versatility was one of the traits that Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen was keen to praise when looking back on McFadden’s career.
“Fergus has been an amazing contributor to lots of great things that have taken place in Leinster and Irish rugby and he’s definitely one of the great characters that we’ve had around in the group.
“The versatility piece that Fergus has is hugely important. It can go against some players and tough calls not going their way but he would always do what’s best for the team. For example, even though typically your ten would take kicks, Fergus had no problem stepping up at crucial moments to take the pressure off someone. He had so many strings to his bow and he’s going to be a great loss to the group.”
To underline his importance to the Leinster cause, in his 184 games to date, McFadden has scored 29 tries but also kicked 46 conversions, 68 penalties and even a drop-goal against Cardiff in 2011.
His form in the blue of Leinster was rewarded with an Ireland debut against Italy in the 2011 Six Nations and he would go on to win a further 33 caps for Ireland scoring ten tries.
Over the course of a glittering career McFadden contributed to some great days for Leinster and Ireland and his standing within the environment of Leinster was also acknowledged by Cullen this morning.
“When the Ireland Rugby World Cup squad was announced during the year we posed some questions to the group of players that were left behind to form a leadership group and Fergus came out very high in that process and is still in that leadership group currently.
“That leadership group is based off some questions that we would ask the wider playing group. What do they value? Who lives those values day in, day out? Who do they want in the dressing room sitting beside them?
“You always had a sense for how highly Fergus was regarded amongst his peers and this process just confirmed what we already thought.”
During his time at Leinster, McFadden contributed on the biggest of days including playing in the 2011 Heineken Cup Final against Northampton Saints and starting in the 2012 Heineken Cup Final against Ulster, the 2013 Challenge Cup Final and the 2013 and 2014 PRO12 Finals.
ADVERTISEMENTFergus McFadden has announced he will retire when the 2019/20 season concludes, bringing down the curtain on a 13-year career with @leinsterrugby and a 34-cap career in green with Ireland ? ?#ShoulderToShoulder
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) May 3, 2020
He was also a key member of the Leinster double winning season in 2017/18 playing 17 times and scoring three tries until a hamstring injury in the Heineken Champions Cup Semi-Final win over Scarlets – in the act of scoring a try – cut short his season.
For Ireland, McFadden was a member of the 2011 Rugby World Cup squad, scoring a try against Russia in the pool games, and he was also a member of the Ireland Six Nations winning squads in 2014 and 2018.
This season McFadden has scored two tries in six appearances for Leinster to date and given the current suspension of the rugby season, Cullen noted that McFadden may yet see action again, but wished his former team-mate the very best of luck when he does formally retire.
“We are being guided by public health guidelines at the moment but naturally the hope is that Fergus gets the chance to pull on the Leinster jersey again.
“Regardless of what happens though, we sincerely thank him for his efforts over the years and wish himself, Rebecca and their little boy Freddy the very best of luck.
“I’ve known Fergus a long time and his parents and my own parents would have agonised in the stands together as they watched their sons on the pitch so we wish all of them the very best of luck in the future and hopefully we will continue to keep those connections back to Leinster Rugby strong.”
Speaking to leinsterrugby.ie this morning, McFadden acknowledged all those had had played a part in his career to date, while also thanking the Leinster Rugby supporters.
“They say the best time to leave a party is when you’re still having fun so the time has come for me to announce my retirement from the end of the season. It’s hard to put into words what a privilege it has been to have had such a long career playing for the team I grew up supporting and pulling on a green jersey to play for my country. It has been a dream come true.
“So, reflecting on what made this all possible, I would like to thank all the Leinster Rugby staff, Leo Cullen, the wider management team, medics, physios, strength & conditioning coaches, backroom staff and our legendary bagman Johnny O’Hagan. Leinster’s incredible success over many years has been as a result of the contributions of the entire team both on and off the field.
“To the players, there are too many for me to name individually right now but all I can say is that it has been an honour to play and work alongside such incredibly talented and professional people. The friendships and memories I have made are ones I will cherish for the rest of my life – not to mention the many laughs we had along the way!
“To the Leinster fans…I don’t think you could ask for better supporters. Your constant support and encouragement was felt throughout – not only there to celebrate the highs but also to support through the lows.
“To my wife Rebecca, my son Freddy, my parents, my friends and family, thanks for being there every step of the way.”
Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to comments