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The overlooked Ireland U20s lock who forged an unlikely Super Rugby Pacific career
Cormac Daly was working in an office this time last year. The Irishman had come through the U20s pathway back home and gained experience with Connacht and Leinster, but the lock appeared lost to the professional game.
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Daly, who answered Ireland’s Call at the World Rugby U20s Championships in 2017 and 2018, had come through the academy ranks with Leinster as a teenager and seemed destined for higher honours. But life and rugby don’t always go to plan.
The talent out of North Kildare Rugby Club, which is about 30 minutes’ drive west of Dublin, moved on from Leinster’s junior ranks to link up with Connacht. Daly trained with the Westerners for quite some time before they signed him as injury cover after COVID-19.
But as Daly explained, “(I) never really got a chance I thought I deserved.” The second-rower was desperate for an opportunity to prove himself, but after a season with Leinster in 2022, Daly thought his professional rugby career was over.
“Being with Leinster, they have so much talent there now. Looking at some of the lads you’re competing against, James Ryan, Joe McCarthy, stuff like that,” Daly told RugbyPass.
“Lads are even fighting for a spot to get on the training pitch let alone to play a match for them so that’s probably why they’re so good.
“The most frustrating thing about it was I never really got a chance that I thought I deserved,” he explained.
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“If I ever got the chance that I know I’d take it and I’d know that I’d be good enough to push on.
“When you don’t get the chance that’s when you lose confidence in yourself.
“I kind of thought I was getting a bit old, getting a bit on. Probably thought I’d missed the chance to play at a high level. Thankfully it wasn’t.”
Daly packed his bags and left professional rugby behind. The Irishman had missed out on “a lot of experiences” to travel abroad with friends over the years and wasn’t going to let this one slide.
The Irishman left the “freezing cold” behind by making the move to Sydney, Australia. Daly wanted to focus on enjoying himself Down Under but found his way back to the 15-player game with Randwick in Sydney’s illustrious Shute Shield competition.
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Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles coached the Wicks to the glory that season. Randwick brought an end to 20 years of pain by snapping their long-lasting drought with a 17-15 win over Norths in the big dance at Leichhardt Oval last August.
By all accounts, the celebrations were immense.
Daly scored one of Randwick’s two tries in the final and secured a match-sealing steal at the death to deliver the famous shield back to the suburb in Sydney’s east. It was a history-making display from the Irishman who had taken that first opportunity with both hands.
“I came over just to come over and enjoy myself and to live in Sydney,” Daly said.
“Randwick got onto me then and we’re just a great match for each other. I got on with all the lads there, got on with the coaches, got on with everyone at the club.
“The rugby is a bit different to back home… it’s a bit more running rugby.
“I think it’s worked out well for me. Then obviously we won the league, the Shute Shield last year.. that was pretty special as well.”
But that was just the start of Cormac Daly’s rugby journey in Australia. After once believing there would be no more chances in professional rugby, the Shute Shield champion was recruited by the Queensland Reds.
Daly has played six matches off the pine so far this season, including a more than 30-minute cameo against the Brumbies at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in round six. The Irishman has already made his mark in a team that boasts plenty of quality.
“I do talk to some of the lads back home in Ireland… I’m over here, the weather’s unbelievable, getting a nice tan and stuff. They’re in the freezing cold back home,” he added.
“Not many Irish people get to play Super Rugby. It’s something cool that hopefully I can go on with now and something that I’ll look back on later in life as a pretty cool experience and not many people get to do it.
“You can probably count on your hands, on your fingers, how many Irish people play Super Rugby so it’s definitely something pretty cool.”
It’s true that Cormac Daly is the first Irishman to play Super Rugby for Queensland since international front-rower Peter Clohessy in 1997, so what you read next will come a bit out of left field.
Daly’s journey to the Reds is a full-circle moment.
Playing for the Ireland U20s side against Australia some years ago, Daly swapped jerseys with a young backrower on the rise. That man was Fraser McReight, as the pair spoke about recently. Daly also played against future Reds teammates Jordan Petaia, Tate McDermott, Liam Wright and more.
But that’s not all.
Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss coached an Ireland U20s side.
“To be able to work under him is a huge opportunity. To have someone of his calibre coaching, you’d be a fool not to want to be (playing).
“I’ve only been here a short time now and I feel like the last few months I’ve already gotten better and better. Every time I’m playing games now I feel like I’m getting better every week.
“Huge credit to the coaches… I’m just trying to hopefully fulfil as much potential as I can.
“It’s pretty special to be up north with someone like Les. He’s a great coach but first and foremost he’s a great man.”
Daly is playing with a renewed sense of confidence in Australia’s Sunshine State of Queensland. The coaches back their Irish recruit to do a job, and the second rower has delivered during a series of performances in Super Rugby Pacific.
What that could mean for Daly’s professional career moving forward – having only signed a one-year deal with the Reds – remains to be seen.
But for now, Daly is firmly focused on this season with the Reds.
“When I was younger I was always told I was good enough to play.
“Even when I was involved with Leinster and stuff, I was always told I was good enough to be here.
“You kind of seeing now when I’m playing… it’s just getting a bit of self-belief. Definitely, hopefully I can keep pushing on our performance with the Reds and see what happens then.
“The coaches really, really give me a lot of confidence.
“As I said, it’s something that I never thought I’d be doing now so I don’t want to take it for granted. I’m trying my best and hopefully putting my best foot forward every time I get on the pitch.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
60 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
60 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
60 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
60 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
60 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
60 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
60 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
60 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
60 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
60 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
60 Go to comments