Gordon D'Arcy say's 'That'll do, pig'

Gordon D'Arcy has decided to end his playing career after the World Cup. Meaning his last Leinster club game might have already been played, otherwise only one or two more to go. He started out back in 98.

It's interesting that O'Driscoll got his Giant Posters and Billboards send-off and D'Arcy chooses to write a heartfelt letter...

"Had the result in Marseille nearly two weeks ago gone our way, this week could have been a lot different but unfortunately it isn't so I am taking this opportunity to announce that I will be retiring from professional rugby at the end of October.

It is a decision that I have not come to lightly but one that sits very easily with me and indeed with my wife, Aoife, and we are confident that I am making the decision for the right reasons.

My decision has always been that I would leave at this time - after the Rugby World Cup 2015 - and I would like to thank Leinster Rugby and the IRFU for their support in facilitating this process which began last summer. I am so proud, fortunate and honoured to have represented my province and country for 17 seasons but I am leaving on my terms which is how everyone would wish to end their professional rugby careers.

It is still hard for me to get my head around the fact that I will not be pulling a jersey on again after October. While the blue of Leinster and the green of Ireland stand out for most people, nothing would have been possible without the solid foundations built on Saturday and Sunday mornings in Wexford Wanderers, then nurtured in Clongowes and of course in later years in Landsdowne. Throughout it all, I have been honoured to have played with an array of talented players, be coached by great coaches and to have played for the best supporters in the world.

It has always been an honour to represent my country. I hope to continue that over the coming months and help to achieve something with this very special group of players and staff at the Rugby World Cup.

Leinster will always hold a special place in my heart, my first and only club. Since my debut in 1998 against Llanelli, it has been a privilege to be part of this organisation and to see how it has grown over the years. Games in Donnybrook of a Friday night in front of a couple of thousand spectators have been replaced with great days in Croke Park, in the Aviva Stadium and of course more often than not in the RDS.

As part of that journey I have seen dark days, but the abiding memory is of a club and an organisation that wouldn't settle for mediocrity and only wanted to be the best. Developing that culture and ethos took time and foresight and this is to be commended. The move to the RDS from Donnybrook. The new facilities in UCD. Marque signings and the retention of home grown players. An Academy system to rival any other in world rugby. At home or away, we took on the giants of European rugby and we had great days. I am proud to have played a small part in that evolution.

With any team it is the backroom and support teams that deserve a lot of the credit, they provide the environment for us to succeed and create a winning culture. That remains the case to this day.

A special thanks goes to my friends, family and in particular my wife Aoife. Your love, support and understanding has helped me to do my job to the best of my ability and I truly appreciate this.

In an ideal world I would have loved to have been bowing out after a Champions Cup Final and who knows maybe even a PRO12 Final, but unfortunately as players we have not achieved the targets that we set ourselves at the start of the season, in particular in the league. That's life. And that's sport at the very highest level.

However, I have no doubt that Leinster is in the best possible hands with Matt and Leo at the helm and our recent performance in the Champions Cup Semi-Final reminded me just what this club and this team is capable off. Let's not forget that it is only 12 months since Matt delivered a PRO12 title at his first attempt and that we have progressed to the Quarters and now the Semis in Europe.

They have achieved this during a time of great transition and now, more than ever, they need your support.

They will certainly get mine and I'm looking forward to supporting and enjoying the continued success of Leinster over the coming years.

That being said I will genuinely miss being a Leinster and Irish Rugby player.

I have loved every moment of it.

Gordon"

Well Thank You too Gordon. A letter like that says more about you than any words from me will. Thanks for the Great memories. And you still got work to do perhaps No sitting back until the job is complete.

A true legend of Irish Rugby and a gentleman off the pitch, he will be greatly missed. But I'm not sure he'll be at the World Cup, even for a great farewell.

In fact I nearly hope he isn't- sentiment aside, I think he's right to call it a day at this time.

Oh I realise that Notch. I still think he'll be brought for Senior Stabilty if some of the other 'Seniors' get injured through the pools etc.

A very fine player for Leinster and Ireland, always seeming to get over the advantage line regardless of heavy traffic. A the peak of his powers his footwork and accelaration were also of the highest order and, like BOD, he's constantly developed his defensive game as well.

"Aoife" - bloody love Irish names.

funnyExiledScot wrote:A very fine player for Leinster and Ireland, always seeming to get over the advantage line regardless of heavy traffic. A the peak of his powers his footwork and accelaration were also of the highest order and, like BOD, he's constantly developed his defensive game as well.

"Aoife" - bloody love Irish names.

+1 on everything said so far about Dorce - a legend and in his later years must have one of the best beards in rugby, none of that namby-pamby clipped beards - up there with Josh Strauss, that useless Scottish prop whose name I can't remember and the baldy Lund brother in the beard stakes.

FES - we have lots of very lovely Irish names and Aoife is one of then - especially girls' names - but have you ever heard anybody called Gobnait.

Friend of mine called Sinead went to Oz for a couple of years working but the convicts just couldn't get their tongues around her name and it usually came out as Sinn-ee-add. For the non-Irish it's pronounced Shin-ayd. Oh and Aoife is pronounced Eefa.

Ah, I thought it was pronounced Ayfe, embarrassing...

EEEEEEfa..... you lull on the eeeeee a bit and finish off the fa quickly

Similar to how WALL-E sings out his girl's name. EEEEEEve

I love Irish girls names; Aoife, Róisín, Sinéad. Beautiful.

Oisín is one of my favourites. Setanta another. These are our Lord of the Rings names. Coming down to us from our Mythology. They have that resonance.

SecretFly wrote:Oisín is one of my favourites.  Setanta another.  These are our Lord of the Rings names.  Coming down to us from our Mythology.  They have that resonance.    

Sweet Jesus. I can't bear it.

Gwlad wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Oisín is one of my favourites.  Setanta another.  These are our Lord of the Rings names.  Coming down to us from our Mythology.  They have that resonance.    

Sweet Jesus. I can't bear it.

They why don't you go and find another thread?

Or a nice Eisteddfod somewhere

Notch wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Oisín is one of my favourites.  Setanta another.  These are our Lord of the Rings names.  Coming down to us from our Mythology.  They have that resonance.    

Sweet Jesus. I can't bear it.

They why don't you go and find another thread?

No thanks

Gwlad wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Oisín is one of my favourites.  Setanta another.  These are our Lord of the Rings names.  Coming down to us from our Mythology.  They have that resonance.    

Sweet Jesus. I can't bear it.

Orcs always find Elven names sickly on the tongue and hard on the stomach. Some HCL supplements help after eating a few.

My favourite Irish name is Father Ted.

Sweet Jesus. I can't bear it.

I knew a Clodagh once. Great name.

Notch wrote:I love Irish girls names; Aoife, Róisín, Sinéad. Beautiful.

Niamh. Looks as beautiful written down as it sounds. Of course it helps that I once knew a really pretty girl called Niamh.

But on topic, congratulations to Gordon D'arcy on his fantastic career. Really loved his letter, too. So modest and heartfelt. Always felt he was a bit underrated as a result of playing in BOD'S shadow.

If he doesnt make the RWC squad will he still play for Leinster til October?

Golden wrote:If he doesnt make the RWC squad will he still play for Leinster til October?

I think so. That's what happened with John Hayes in 2011, an extension was given but he missed the cut. He actually ended up playing until December for Munster but the IRFU were happy to extend his contract to act as World Cup cover.

I don't think he will.

I think he'll have had preliminary talks with Schmidt to see where the rough lie of the land is. I think his last game with Leinster will be one of the last games this season (or maybe its already gone).

I don't think he'll show up for Leinster if he fails to make the WC squad. I think he knows any role in the WC would probably be limited in itself but because he still wants to go, he's leaving that door open.

But if he doesn't turn up for Leinster because he's left out, and someone goes down with an injury during the World Cup, he'd not be available as cover. He'll surely not risk it.

No, Notch, I think he knows his worth to the side now (meaning he knows there are plenty of alternatives to the old dog at this point)  If that scenario you outlined happened, then I think he'd accept that someone else would be called in.  I'd think his mind is that he's leaving that date of October up there just to allow it be a possible to be in the WC squad from the beginning, depending on what Schmidt wants from his squad.

I think myself that the best way to end with Leinster is to end correctly after a full final season.  Not to pop back in for a month or two and then be gone again.

The rugby world will be worse off for not having his beard around any more

That was a bloody bee colony, yappy! D'Arcy has always been a keen amateur beekeeper. Tried bringing his hobby to work with him for a year, but the players couldn't take the stings no more. They had to go back to the hive.

I bet they all enjoyed his honey though

I'm surprised no-one gave him Poopie for referring to Leinster as a club. I thought that was a big no no. 17 years service buys you that I suppose.

Well, it's like a KitKat innit?  A biscuit and a bar.  We all know we wouldn't even qualify for the New ERCCCCCC had we not also been a 'Club' - as only Clubs get in coz of course only clubs are meritocratic..... the new way an' all

Notch wrote:I love Irish girls names; Aoife, Róisín, Sinéad. Beautiful.

I have a nephew who now lives in Dublin, and married to an irish lass, anyway a couple of years back they had a daughter, they called her Niamh.... the Kiwi relations, in unison "how the F*$k do you get Neeve out of that?"

aucklandlaurie wrote:

Notch wrote:I love Irish girls names; Aoife, Róisín, Sinéad. Beautiful.

I have a nephew who now lives in Dublin, and married to an irish lass, anyway a couple of years back they had a daughter, they called her Niamh.... the Kiwi relations, in unison "how the F*$k do you get Neeve out of that?"

Even better;

Sadhbh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGaOwcsAjg

Tadhg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-F6PrKqlws

Smashing letter. Smashing guy. My favourite Leinster player. Great career. Best of luck Gordon in whatever you do.

Ben Foden, married to Una Healy have called their kids Aoife & Tadgh.

And as a service to our non-Irish friends, Tadhg (believe it or not) is pronounced Tyge (hard g) and Sadhbh is pronounced (Sive). Ben Foden's family must have had fun when those kids were christened.

Played against and with Darcy in school. He was unplayable, hated tackling him.

Last Irish man to get a call up to the international squad while still in school (I think). At his peak Darcy was an absolutely incredible talent. Up there with the best we have had in his position.

Great player - probably had 2 peaks for me, where he was as good as drico - in 2004 for Ireland, when he took the 6N by storm and 2007 when he was able to cross the gainline at will.

His his troughs too but definitely played a major part in any success Ireland and Leinster have had in the past decade or more and can be very happy with his career.