Dave Kilcoyne didn’t get his Thomond Park send-off, this season, however did get to exit in model. Suited, booted and bow-tied, ‘Killer’ introduced the home down on the Rugby Gamers Ireland awards at Aviva Stadium. Dragging host Barry Murphy out of sight from any teleprompters, Kilcoyne held courtroom for 10 minutes and reminded everybody what a personality Irish rugby is dropping.
Kilcoyne had them rolling within the aisles with a story about being a not-so-mature scholar at College of Limerick, impersonating law enforcement officials (gardaí), stealing booze and getting a mighty scolding when real legislation enforcement screeched across the nook – “Ah right here, this one is 28!”
There may be greater than a touch of John Belushi about Kilcoyne. The loveable rogue. Funniest man within the room. The one which makes a ‘Why not… ?’ suggestion then shoots the digicam a glance as chaos descends, throughout him.
“Thanks, everybody, for coming to my retirement occasion!”
Kilcoyne is one among 5 Munster mainstays that can be departing the province, this summer season. He’s heading straight into retirement with Peter O’Mahony and Stephen Archer, whereas Conor Murray and Rory Scannell might play on some time, but. The 36-year-old hangs up his boots after 220 senior outings for Munster and 56 caps for Eire. O’Mahony, Archer and Murray had all the images and plaudits as they performed the season to a conclusion. An Achilles tendon tear, simply earlier than Christmas, was the ultimate recreation for Kilcoyne. The loosehead’s final time packing down was in a gritty 22-19 win over Ulster, in Belfast.
Kilcoyne insists there was no frustration at lacking one final run-out. “The irritating half was getting back from my shoulder (in late 2023),” he says. “I used to be hellbent on doing one other 12 months. Then my Achilles went, so I knew then. I had time to course of it, again at Christmas. I’ve been very lucky to have performed so lengthy. And once you’re not in a position to play the way in which you need to play, you recognize it’s time.
“I’ve identified numerous lads which were very unlucky and needed to bow out early. Somebody like Dan Leavy, who I’d be very near. He was minimize down in his prime. For me to get to 36 feels fortunate. I do know I ultimately went out via an damage however, for me, if somebody had stated to me, as a 19 or 20-year-old within the academy, that I might play till I used to be 36, I’d have bitten their hand off. So, I look again with numerous gratefulness. I didn’t get to stroll round and do a lap of honour, on the finish. However to play for therefore lengthy was the actual honour.”
I bought again and performed in opposition to Castres and Ulster. Then the Achilles simply went. You’re 36. I had battled so arduous to get again after which, once I did that, I simply knew.
Kilcoyne went into the 2023 World Cup as back-up loosehead to Andrew Porter. He had performed 3 times through the Grand Slam win, earlier that 12 months. He places that Six Nations sweep proper up alongside the United Rugby Championship title Munster would declare in Cape City, three months later. Kilcoyne was 34 at that World Cup – undoubtedly on the again 9 of his rugby profession however with a lot extra he wished to realize. His ultimate recreation within the inexperienced jersey would finish in that quarter ultimate heartbreak in opposition to New Zealand. He didn’t comprehend it on the time, however Kilcoyne would solely play 5 extra occasions after that evening in Paris.
There was a neck operation wanted in 2022, after Kilcoyne briefly misplaced energy to 1 arm after a scrum collapse. He feared that will be it for his profession. Making it again to play huge elements in trophy wins for Munster and Eire means the world.
“Once I broke my shoulder and needed to get an operation on that, it was difficult sufficient,” says Kilcoyne. “However I bought again and performed in opposition to Castres and Ulster. Then the Achilles simply went. That’s when you recognize. There was no different means about it. You’re 36. I had battled so arduous to get again after which, once I did that, I simply knew.”
The neck damage scare for not the one time it regarded like skilled rugby and Dave Kilcoyne weren’t going to combine. Ian Sherwin, the outdated academy supervisor at Munster, was not eager, again in 2009. Ian Costello, interim head coach this season, fought Kilcoyne’s nook. It might be one other two years earlier than his senior bow, however he was contained in the Munster tent. He went from cheering on Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Tony Buckley and Jerry Flannery to packing down with, or in opposition to, them in coaching.
“You rapidly realise once you’re in there,” says Kilcoyne, “even after one huge session, lads are flying into you, and also you’re flying into lads. You need that beginning jersey. I used to be at all times like that. Nobody desires to be holding deal with pads. You clearly do your little integration interval, once you’re within the academy however as quickly as you get on the pitch, you need to get to that stage. When you’re in with Munster and Eire, everybody desires to be beginning. I wouldn’t say you cease idolising them, however you rapidly put that to 1 facet and give attention to your self. You give attention to making an attempt to be the person.”
I grew up completely idolising Paulie. Going over the Thomond Park wall to look at him play. Swiftly, you’re coaching with him. We used to journey all the way down to Cork collectively, and we turned nice mates.
Maybe there was one exception – Paul O’Connell.
“We went to the identical college (Ardscoil Rís), so I grew up completely idolising Paulie. Going over the Thomond Park wall to look at him play. Swiftly, you’re coaching with him. We used to journey all the way down to Cork collectively, and we turned nice mates. We used to coach collectively, on weights. He was at all times such an awesome coach, and I used to be simply making an attempt to maintain up with him. You’re making an attempt to push the requirements and showcase to him, because the younger bull. There was mutual friendship and respect there. It was sensible to have that relationship with him, you recognize? I in all probability did wreck his head with questions. You’re younger and desirous to be taught, be a sponge and take all of it in from him.”
“I bear in mind days down at Musgrave Park,” Kilcoyne recollects. “Our ‘B’ lads could be going up in opposition to the likes of Marcus, Fla, Hayes, Mushie (Tony Buckley), Paulie and all of the lads. There could be an unmerciful quantity of scraps at coaching. However, then, they had been in all probability getting in direction of the top of their cycle and it was as much as us lads to take the jersey off them, if we wished it.”
“We don’t see too many fights anymore. The best way it has gotten so skilled, nowadays, you possibly can’t actually throw a punch since you’ll be caught on the drone footage. There was no drone footage again within the day, once we bought began!”
There was a well-known stand-off, too, between the younger bucks and the older heads, on a squad day trip, over who would sit down the again of the bus. After being goaded into taking motion by Doug Howlett, O’Connell despatched the heavies to clear the likes of O’Mahony, Murray, Mike Sherry and Tommy O’Donnell. Kilcoyne claims he went untouched. “Oh, there was no difficult me,” he declares. “I walked straight to the again of the bus, day one, and I used to be at all times there! I by no means needed to problem for my spot. I used to be straight in, and there for 15 years.”
These first two years with the academy, getting membership minutes with U.L Bohemians and mixing it with the senior squad, maintain so many particular recollections for the Limerick native. “Me and Conor lived collectively once we had been within the academy. We’ve been via all of it collectively. Pete and Archie, too. We performed B&I Cup collectively, academy collectively and all broke via inside a 12 months of one another. All of them could be my finest mates. You’re with them day by day, all day.
“However rugby is cyclical. There’s a new era of gamers coming via – there’s lads within the nook doing TikTok dances whereas the 4 grandfathers are over the opposite facet, consuming cups of tea or espresso! Speaking about our weekends or no matter sport was on.”
To lastly win the URC (in 2023) was a beautiful little carrot, particularly for the older lads who had been with the workforce a very long time. To have one thing for Munster… numerous these lads actually deserved it. It was sensible.
Kilcoyne made his senior Munster debut in December 2011 however was a part of the broader squad that claimed the Magners League title, earlier that 12 months. There could be a 12-year wait to bridge that trophy hole with league ultimate defeats to Scarlets and Glasgow a number of the hardest to take. “Leone Nakarawa brought on havoc (for Glasgow),” Kilcoyne recollects. “He had about eight arms, that day. Offloading left, proper and centre!”
Kilcoyne’s first Take a look at cap is his proudest second in rugby. “Everybody grows up desirous to play for Eire,” he states. “I used to be 23 approaching to play South Africa at Aviva Stadium. A surreal second. Your loved ones are there. You’re singing the anthem. Swiftly, an entire life-body of labor involves fruition and your desires come true. Simply unbelievable.”
“To lastly win the URC (in 2023) was a beautiful little carrot, particularly for the older lads who had been with the workforce a very long time,” he provides. “To have one thing for Munster… numerous these lads actually deserved it. It was sensible.
“We went all the way down to South Africa, close to the top of the season, somewhat beneath the radar. Swiftly, you get a few wins and also you construct momentum. We went on a great streak. Sport will be like that. You will be struggling, struggling then issues simply begin to click on, you begin figuring issues out, get lads again from damage, and one or two huge wins construct perception.
His pinnacle was the 2023 Grand Slam. “I bought my 50th cap that 12 months, in opposition to France,” he recollects. “It was an superior workforce, and the identical for coaches and administration. It was an excellent surroundings. Finally, if issues are proper on the high, it usually filters down. The whole lot was clicking.”
After that URC title win, two years in the past, the squad’s older gamers bought collectively and vowed to stay round some time. They held the jersey and it was as much as the brand new younger bulls to take it off them. That was what Paulie and the lads had taught them.
It was undoubtedly Kilcoyne’s mindset till ‘the wheels fell off the bus’. He provides, “I used to be at all times of a thoughts to play till I might play no extra. That’s in the end my destiny. It’s the character of sport. Time waits for no man.”
My retirement will hit my dad and mom tougher than it should hit me. They’ll should discover a new social scene. However it has been sensible for them. They’ve bought to journey the world. They’re so pleased with you, as effectively.
His retirement was confirmed with an announcement, good photos and glowing statements from those who coached him and performed with him. There have been beautiful messages, too, from former teammates like Lifemi Mafi and Nick Williams, and outdated coach Rob Pennet.
“My retirement will hit my dad and mom tougher than it should hit me,” Kilcoyne jokes. “They’ll should discover a new social scene. However it has been sensible for them. They’ve bought to journey the world. They’re so pleased with you, as effectively. Going alongside to Thomond Park, Aviva Stadium and World Cups, it’s stuff of desires for them. My two brothers, Alan and Padraig, and their wives and youngsters. It has been an enormous a part of all our lives. They’re unbelievable supporters. I genuinely imply it once I say I in all probability wouldn’t have been in a position to do any of this if it wasn’t for them.
“My father dropping me out to Bohs. If you’re a younger lad, they’re going to all of your video games. Making so many sacrifices. Giving up holidays to return with us. Taking days off work to verify we had been at coaching or video games. After which to really go on and play for Eire, and provides them huge days out at The Shelbourne, Aviva. It’s been nice for them. They’ve had an unbelievable life, as they’ve at all times stated, and spent a few of their happiest occasions there. They’ll proceed on and proceed being loyal supporters. It clearly received’t be the identical however they bought to reside the dream, as effectively.”
Would Kilcoyne wish to be beginning out once more, if time and tides allowed?
“I wouldn’t change it, to be trustworthy,” he says. Digicam telephones and social media weren’t as huge, once I was beginning out. Lads might in all probability be themselves a bit extra, with out some fella taking an image or video.
“However don’t get me improper. I bear in mind first coming into that dressing room, again then, and we educated like absolute animals. Our coaching periods had been so arduous, our weights periods had been ferocious. A few of our pre-seasons, again within the day, I discovered means harder than now. There was not the extent of sports activities science that you’ve now, however I might be out on the pitch for 2, two-and-a-half hours. Now, you take a look at it and it’s in all probability insanity. That was the way in which it was.”
“There’s the final day-to-day that you simply’ll miss,” Kilcoyne displays. “You’re surrounded by 40 of your finest mates, in there. The craic in there was unreal.”
