'I Didn't Sign up to Be a Poster Boy': Treviso's Goggles-Wearing Fly-Half Ian McKinley
A team-mate’s stray boot blinded Ian McKinley in one eye and threatened to bring an early end to a promising rugby career – now he is not only playing again, but he could win a call-up to his adopted country’s national team
Ian McKinley has grown used to being called a pioneer.
The Dublin-born fly-half, who plays for Italian side Benetton Treviso in the Pro12, has been a driving force behind the development of World Rugby-approved protective goggles that allow people who suffered serious eye injuries to continue playing the game – and, in January 2017, he could add another first to an already lengthy list.
He could become the first player to take part in a match in France – the otherwise uninspiring European Challenge Cup Pool One encounter between La Rochelle and Treviso – while wearing them.
The Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) announced in December 2016 it would overturn a long-standing law that prevented players who had lost an organ, such as an eye or a kidney, or a limb from playing. In doing so, it brought French rugby into step with the rest of Europe.
In fact, McKinley could have brought the end of the ban forward a few days. He was on the bench for Treviso’s Challenge Cup visit to Bayonne after receiving special dispensation to play a week or so before the announcement by new FFR president Bernard Laporte’s steering committee. But he was not called on by his coaches.
He is now looking forward to being selected for the La Rochelle trip at the end of January, and described the FFR’s decision as “another important moment for the goggles project and for anyone with any eye problems who wants to play rugby.”
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McKinley – along with former Perpignan scrum-half Florian Cazanave, who now plays in Italian rugby’s second tier after losing an eye in an accident – has become a reluctant hero for people with eye problems who want to play rugby.
I didn’t sign up to be a poster boy,” he said. “But when you’re the first to do things – the first to play in Ireland, to play for the Barbarians, to play in England, to play in France, in European competitions and leagues like the Pro 12 with goggles – you’re bound to be put in the spotlight. These are big landmarks.
“I want people to look beyond the goggles – that goes for coaches as well. I think they do: if I make a mistake I get the same treatment as other players. If I do something well, I get the same praise.”
In 2010 McKinley on an academy contract with Leinster, playing for University College Dublin against Lansdowne, when the then 19-year-old found himself at the bottom of a ruck. “I took the ball into contact. I found myself on my back for a split second, and in that split second one of my team-mates studded my eye and perforated my eyeball.”
He was operated on that night. “I was told originally I would need a minimum of a year to recover before I could contemplate going back to rugby. I was back playing after six months.”
It seemed surgeons had saved his eye and his career. He made his full Leinster debut in 2011, ironically against Treviso. But the situation worsened. He said: “I played a game the day after Leinster won the Heineken Cup and my vision was bad. I had developed two cataracts which required two lengthy operations – and the trauma from the injury and the operations meant my retina just could not take any more. It detached almost completely.”
He retired from playing, but was given a rugby lifeline when offered the chance to take up coaching in Italy. The idea of the goggles was born in 2013 when his brother visited and saw how low McKinley was. A student at the National College Art and Design in Dublin was persuaded to give up his final-year project and design a pair of protective glasses so McKinley could play again.
He is modest about his influence on the events that followed: “World Rugby were also coming up with a project at the same time. The two sides, us and them, coincided – and the goggles ‘came into existence’ in January 2014.”
After three years’ injury-enforced retirement, his return to playing was deliberately and understandably low key. His first games were for Serie A side Leonorso. But, as his confidence returned, so did the dormant ability and awareness that won him a professional contract.
He moved first to Viadana, and has since played for both Italian Pro12 sides Zebre and Treviso. This year, he returned to Dublin for the first time as a player since 2011.
“I had played against Leinster for Zebre in Italy. This was a different feeling. I got a very good reception when I came on. I’m still a bit peeved because we lost the game – it was there to be won. There was less than 10 points in it when I came on, with 20 minutes to go and we shipped a try, which killed the game off. It finished 20-8 – but it was there to be won.
“I’m sure it’s something I’ll look back on in years to come with a warm heart, but when you’re paid to do a job and that’s your profession and you don’t get it done, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.”
The Italian adventure is a long way from over for McKinley. In January, he qualifies to play for Italy, but is humble about his chances of getting a game, saying national coach and countryman Conor O’Shea has not been in touch. “They seem to be doing alright. They beat South Africa,” he said.
“You’d be crazy not to want to play international rugby. Every player wants to play to their potential.
“I haven’t thought about it much because since my debut in 2009 to the start of this campaign, I’ve played 10 Pro 12 games – one and a bit a year. I need consistency, minutes and games.
“I’ve been involved in the matchday squad for Treviso in every game this year, so I’m just happy to do that and contribute to the team. Whatever happens, happens – but I’ve got to make sure my performance level is good enough to warrant consideration from anywhere else. That’s all I can focus on.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments