The 2017 Test Lion that selectors went cold on: what happened to Jack McGrath?
It was not an easy move to make. After nine seasons with his home province, Jack McGrath took the difficult decision to leave behind everything he knew for a fresh challenge at Ulster. It was a move that would bring him away from one of the most impressive set-ups in club rugby, and an almost guaranteed stream of medals and trophies.
But McGrath wanted more. As the sun set on his 20s, he feared his career was on the slide. Once heralded as the natural successor to Cian Healy, who is almost exactly two years his senior, the balance of power had long since emphatically swung back in Healy’s favour.
And so as Leinster capped off the 2018/19 season as Guinness Pro14 champions and Heineken Champions Cup runners-up, McGrath packed his bags and headed to Ulster, a team whose last trophy arrived in 2006.
It was a move that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years previously.
In 2017, McGrath appeared to be at the peak of his powers. He had been Ireland’s first-choice loosehead for a number of seasons, and was named on the bench for all three Tests during the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand that summer. Yet from that point, his form and position in the pecking order with both Ireland and Leinster, would slip.
The reason for this was as much down to Healy as it was McGrath. While McGrath had managed to reach a certain level of consistent, reliable performance between 2015-2017, he didn’t quite take his game to the next level.
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland had become a more dynamic unit, where forwards were encouraged to contribute in attack and get around the pitch more. Cian Healy clearly fit the bill better.
Healy’s renaissance had been remarkable.
After bursting onto the scene and establishing himself as a genuinely world class talent, in 2015, Healy had signed off on the insurance papers that would signal the end of his pro career. Surgery on a disk in his neck had left him unable to move his right hand.
He held off on posting those retirement papers, and eventually regained some feeling in his hand. Not only did he return to rugby, he came back fitter than ever before, having cut a considerable amount of weight and put an onus on improving his general cardiovascular fitness.
He gradually pushed McGrath out of the starting team at Leinster before doing the same at international level. By the time the 2018 Six Nations had rolled around, Cian Healy had once again cemented his place as Ireland’s premier loosehead, starting four of Ireland’s five fixtures. McGrath’s only start came against Italy. It was an exact reversal of how Schmidt favoured his two looseheads in the 2017 Six Nations.
That same year, the returning Lion started just two games in Leinster’s Champions Cup-winning campaign.
It could have been just another twist in the long-running Healy versus McGrath battle, but instead it proved the decisive blow. Not only was Healy the undoubted first choice again, McGrath found himself facing real competition for a spot on the bench at Leinster, with his struggle for form hampered by injury issues.
In the 2018-19 season, he made just 12 appearances for Leinster, his lowest return since the 2010-11 campaign. He encountered a similar problem with Ireland as Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne began to play some of the best rugby of his career.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. McGrath featured just once in the 2019 Six Nations before playing twice in the World Cup warm-ups. When Schmidt announced his final World Cup squad, McGrath’s name was nowhere to be seen.
He is believed to have pushed for a move away from Leinster, and his switch to Ulster was confirmed in April of last year. At the time, McGrath said he was his optimistic about his future.
“This was a difficult decision but one I believe will put me in the best position to continue to perform at the top end of the game,” he said. “I have enjoyed a huge amount of success at Leinster but I feel that looking beyond the World Cup to the next phase of my career I will benefit from the opportunity within the Ulster environment.”
His chances of resurrecting his international career appeared slim when Andy Farrell, who succeeded Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach following the World Cup, gathered 45 players for a mid-season get-together a few days before Christmas. McGrath and Rob Kearney were two of the more high-profile absentees.
However, McGrath was back in the mix when Farrell named his squad for this year’s Six Nations. Farrell continued to favour Healy, with Kilcoyne on the bench, before the tournament was suspended as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
The question now, is what happens next?
This season was arguably a make-or-break opportunity for McGrath to inject some fresh life into his career, but he only got 10 games under his belt before the season was suspended. If the rugby calendar does return to some sort of normality, McGrath will be 31 come the 2021 Six Nations.
At that point you would expect that Farrell will be looking at younger talent with one eye on the 2023 Rugby World Cup. By that stage, it may be too late for Jack McGrath to force his way back to the top.
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
1 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
23 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
6 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments