'I went in early one morning, packed up all my stuff and left'
By early evening, after a few sangrias, and with the sun setting, Devin Toner may gift himself a few precious moments to reflect. A glorious 17-year career, in which he won a Grand Slam, three Six Nations titles, four European Cup and seven Pro 14 titles will come to a close.
It was a career where he confounded critics who thought he didn’t have the athletic abilities to play at the highest level. A career where he has been the personification of loyalty, finally passing Gordon D’Arcy’s long-held Leinster appearance record, and consistency, where he did not miss a game through injury for 13 seasons.
To see Toner smiling and laughing in Gijon, Spain, with the Barbarians is to see a man, just days shy of his 36th birthday, who is happy with his lot. “If Carlsberg did career endings, it would have been on the sun lounger, having a few beers with the boys”, he smiles. “Seriously, the BaaBaas has always been on my bucket list, so to get the call has been absolutely brilliant. It’s been a bit of an old-school tour. Meeting the local kids and the like, but to be honest, I’m more nervous to be pulling on a BaaBaas shirt because I’ve only ever played for Leinster and Ireland.”
Getting out of Dublin and shooting the breeze along the Asturian coast was probably the perfect pick-me-up to shake off the frustrations of his final month as a professional rugby player. Leinster, feted around Europe for their excellence, borne through the lauded schools system, coaching perfection and a culture of winning, fell flat in the Champions Cup semi-final, losing to eventual winners La Rochelle, and perhaps more surprisingly, the Bulls, at the RDS in the URC. Both results were by a solitary point and suggest that the Leinster machine may need a quick tyre change, rather than a new engine.
For Toner, who lets out a sigh, he acknowledges it’s no longer his problem. “I think I’m stating the obvious by saying I would have liked to have finished my career with Leinster in a different way but look, I had unbelievable memories there. You can’t win every game, or indeed play in every game, but I’m happy enough with what I’ve won over the years.”
Toner admits that Irish lads are rarely seen at end-of-season Barbarians games because they’re usually involved at the business end of the season domestically, or preparing for a summer tour. It’s one silver-lining after rare disappointment. “I had thought about lining up against England last weekend, but thought I’d maybe be needed for the URC final but that didn’t happen. Having a beer with Welsh lads and guys like Rob Harley, at Glasgow, when we’re usually knocking ten bells out of each other has been class.”
After an entire working life with one employer, Toner’s final days in blue were low-key. No birds chirping, no camera crew tracking his final steps or bouquets lining the road. “It was very subdued. Mainly because we’d lost the semi-final to the Bulls, we went out on the piss. The following week, all the boys were in Irish camp, from Monday to Wednesday, so we had a team social for a few of the leavers. I went in early one morning, packed up all my stuff and left.” He didn’t look back with any regrets.
Now preparing for a life on civvy street, Toner will have to become accustomed to being released from the cossetted professional set-up and doesn’t know when he’ll return. “I’ve left the inner-sanctum. The What’s App groups and the like, but I left on very good terms. I was never one for watching rugby anyway but I’ll be keen to go back with my boy, who will be five in September. I want to see the young lads kicking on. Academy boys like Joe McCarthy, who was doing really well at the tail end of the season.”
Toner will unlace his monstrous size 22 boots for the 351st and final time in a matter of hours, so beyond the remarkable list of silverware he’s picked up, what has been the motivation to haul his imposing 6ft 11in, near 20st frame across the turf, smashing rucks, being lifted into the skies at the set-piece and making last ditch tap tackles deep into injury time? “My personal motivation for the last 18-19 years? It’s hard to put a finger on it. I suppose I was being lucky to be in two set-ups that had a lot of success. You do it once and you want to do it again. It’s about looking forward. Next, next, next. We talked back in 2008-09 about driving the legacy and 14 years later, I think we’ve done that as a collective.”
A son of County Meath, who came through Castleknock School and UCD (University College Dublin), some would say there was an element of luck over being part of such a golden generation, but Toner has proved that it’s one thing to start with a winning group, quite another to stay and thrive for a record 280 occasions.
“I would say I am a lucky man who got his timing right. The players that I came through with, I played with at school. Guys like Johnny Sexton, Sean O’Brien, Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden and Sean Cronin. We were all of a similar age and had that familiarity when we made the first team. The old brigade of Drico (Brian O’Driscoll), Darce (Gordon D’Arcy) and Shaggy (Shane Horgan) started it and we were lucky to be able to learn off them. In my position, Leo Cullen was right up there. I can assure you, there’s been a lot of hard work along the way. It hasn’t just happened.”
Legacy is important to Toner. He knows there is an expectation to pass on his experience, much as it was passed onto him as a young strapling starting out. The likes of James Ryan and Ryan Baird, will no doubt have appreciated a comforting word here, or a stern word there from Big Dev along the way, to keep them in check. “I know how I became a good player. It was by learning off the likes of Mal O’Kelly, Leo, Brad Thorn and Nathan Hines and I haven’t forgotten that. I’m hoping that these young lads learnt as much from me as I learnt from them.”
Leinster are seen, quite rightly, as the benchmark in Europe, and despite those two stinging losses, Toner doesn’t think Cullen and Stuart Lancaster need to tear up the coaching manual just yet. “I’m not sure how Leo and Stuart will bounce back. They were very narrow losses. Some will say, sign a few big boys, but c’mon, they were one-point losses and every team has to lose a game. They will find a way.”
After years of dominating, however, the Irish province knows they now have serious competition with the introduction of four power-packed South African franchises. Far from feeling it a threat, Toner thinks it’s a positive for a league maligned in certain quarters. “Having played against the South African sides, I do think they will improve the standards in the URC no end. It will make the competition better and better. Next year I expect them to make an impact in the Champions Cup, too.”
So what have they brought to the league? “Teams will need to learn to play a different way. The sheer size of them is ridiculous. They are brilliant poachers, too. You have to reduce the amount heavy carrying and rucks and find space out wide. Otherwise, you’re just running into a brick wall. Repeatedly. You have to be a bit more deceptive, maybe more mauling. It’s a new technical challenge for coaches.”
Speaking of replenishing coaching reserves, the appointment of Sean O’Brien as Leinster contact skills coach brought a smile to Toner’s face. “Ah, Stuart Lancaster loved Seanie, so I wasn’t surprised to see him coming back. Even when he left for London Irish, Stuart would talk about him, and what he could do. Seanie has always been into his coaching. He was coaching back in Tullow when he was with Leinster and he was always good with the young lads. I think he kept his hand in over in London. He has the family farm back in Tullow, too, so I don’t think he’ll be twiddling his thumbs.”
While some professionals take time to get notices, Toner always stood out, whether he liked it, or not. He is still the tallest man ever to play for Ireland and over the years, he has learnt to embrace his classic ectomorph physique that would have seen him shooting hoops, not taking lineout ball, were he born Stateside. His remarkable physique is something he has grown to accept. “I used to hate my height. Around that 14, 15, 16 age I hated crowds. I hated walking down Grafton Street, with everyone looking at me. Hated it all but now I embrace it. I’ve had to learn to love it because I had no other choice.”
Toner will spend the summer, ‘giving back’, to the unstinting support given by his wife Mary, playing daddy day-care to young Max, who is ready for big school in September. One of the upsides of the early mornings with his son, will be the three-Test Series in New Zealand. As someone who has been on two winning sides against the All Blacks, and doesn’t have the baggage of that fateful day in Hamilton, where they had a record 60-0 defeat in 2012 – the last time Ireland played in the Land of the Long White Cloud – Toner is relishing the match-up. “They are going to be very, very tough games, but if you don’t believe you can win, there’s no point turning up. I think Ireland can take confidence from previous results. We’ve never won out there, so even if we lose the Series 2-1, I think a single win will be deemed a success. It’s at the end of a long, long season for the boys, but when it comes down to the last 80 minutes, that will all be forgotten.”
One man, who is a year older than Toner, and still fundamental to the Ireland set-up is Johnny Sexton. Toner knows how important it is to keep their playmaker fit in New Zealand. “For the environment, he’s huge. Everything runs through him. Everyone wants to do well when they’re playing with him. He makes everyone tick. It’s hard to know what to say that hasn’t already been said. He’s just been an incredible servant to Leinster and Ireland.”
When he returns from Spain, it will be time to do some swatting for some final QFA (qualified financial advisor) exams, ahead of a job in finance, starting in September. First Toner will be heading to Sardinia for a breather. While his feet may dangle over the sun lounger, he will contemplate all that he has achieved before a second life starts in earnest.
While Leinster’s second-row reserves are well-stocked, the towering presence of Toner around the squad will be sorely missed. Well played, ‘Big Dev’.
Comments on RugbyPass
This is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
1 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
4 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to comments