Shane Horgan retires

Gracelessly Tom

Just been announced. Shame he had to retire in this way but boy what a player for Leinster and Ireland.

Thanks for the memories Shaggy!!

Legion2008

Not unexpected but unfortunate ....

http://rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=34491

A great servant to Irish rugby, and he has a future as a pundit.

On a related topic Alan Quinlan has a very relevant article in the Times about players being forced to retire ahead of their time.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0328/1224314003751.html

Hippo

Sad to hear this but it seemed inevitable. What a player.

padraig.od

Top player!

Amazotheamazing

Great player and a good guy too, good luck to him with what his new life brings. He has an LLM from Trinity so he obviously has some brains to fall back on anyhow. I'm glad his last full season with Leinster went so well for him.

Gracelessly Tom

I always love the clip of him turning and catching Geordan Murphy in the RDS Leinster v Leicester H cup game from a few years back. Murphy was in the clear and he showed some pace and determination to get back and make the tackle. Sums him up for me.

.ak

Absolute servant to Irish Rugby, unfortunately lost his battle with coming back off an injury.

Whilst it is a pity, he can no doubt look over a glittering career that is full of trophies. An absolute gent off the pitch - met him several times on my travels and he's as humble as pie!

Only pity for me is he didn't play more for Ireland. Some of my fondest memories of him are actually those in a green shirt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu_2NmTDH-E

galwayboss

Best of luck to him he will never be forgotten after the catch v England in Croker park capped off probably the one of the best Irish team performances of all time!!

SomeFool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu_2NmTDH-E

Sad that it's through injury but a great player, would have been great if he could have played the season and gone on his own terms. Hope he keeps up the telly work, I enjoy his contributions.

.ak

Gracelessly Tom wrote: »

I always love the clip of him turning and catching Geordan Murphy in the RDS Leinster v Leicester H cup game from a few years back. Murphy was in the clear and he showed some pace and determination to get back and make the tackle. Sums him up for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edxDBi5f26U

Terminator T-1000 doesn't have squat on that.

kevohmsford

Shane Horgan is a legend. I will always remember his last minute try against England. 2 Heineken Cup Winners medals as well which is impressive.
Class player to have on the wing, especially under a high ball.

kevohmsford

irishbucsfan

That pass for bonus try v. Castres!

Legend.

totallegend

I'm gutted but not surprised. The guy was an absolute legend and was playing the best rugby of his career in latter years; he was the best Irish winger by a country mile last season.

My favourite memory of him is winning the game for us in Twickenham, 2006.

A few really nice quotes from him in the below article which sum him up, humble and appreciative of his long career.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2012/0328/315343-horgan-announces-immediate-retirement/

tolosenc

Very sad.

Was a top top player right till the end and will be sorely missed. Not the kind of player that is easily replaced!

prospect

Thanks for everything Shane. :cool:

chris85

A servant to the game. Many great memories of him playing for Leinster and Ireland. Wish him all the best.

MickySticks

What a player and seemed like a nice guy too.

Good luck to him what ever he does in the future.

Junior

Running straight over David Strettle will stay with me for years, between Shaggy and Hickie we've lost some real speed merchants in the past few years. Enjoy your time out of the sport Shane !

molloyjh

Sad day, even if it was somewhat inevitable. Great player.

Something a bit more recent!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY8FYwBkq60

The reaction in the RDS after the reverse pass to Drico in the Brive game is a big stand out for me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPAOOqy9e10

Or..."Did he ground it? Yes he did!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3CZlQIcsdI

Legend!

JustinDee

About to do a promotional vid with him and four other players now. Quite the day to do it!

CatFromHue

193 starts for Leinster and 10 more from the bench scoring 69 tries and 1 drop goal.

62 starts for Ireland and 3 more from the bench scoring 21 tries in total.

Came on twice in tests games for the Lions in New Zealand, made 1 start in the pre test games, and made 4 appearances from the bench in the pre test games scoring 1 try.

That gives him a total in senior rugby of 256 starts plus 19 appearances from the bench and scored 91 tries and 1 drop goal.

molloyjh

JustinDee wrote: »

About to do a promotional vid with him and four other players now. Quite the day to do it!

Be sure to tell him there's plenty of man-love here on boards for him!

Tefral

Anyone got a video of the try he scored against munster last year in the top right corner in Thomond park, i watched him slide 2 metres on his face and get back up..

Legend
Yup here it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly5CDsBEOrU

.ak

Haha, I was at the match but never noticed how punch drunk he is when he gets up. Hahah, proper locked like.. Hines has to steady him and call over the physios.

chris85

.ak wrote: »

Haha, I was at the match but never noticed how punch drunk he is when he gets up. Hahah, proper locked like.. Hines has to steady him and call over the physios.

Some smash his head took coming down for the try alright. Worth it!

phog

Huge performer for province and country, whille his retirement isn't a surprise to kost people it's still a shame that he has to retire rather than pick his won time to go. Even though there's cover for him he'll still be a huge loss.

Best of Luck to him in whatever career options he now chooses to follow.

hardCopy

Best of luck Shaggy

Zzippy

Best of luck to Shaggy, was a pleasure watching him play for province and country over the last decade. Hope he gets a nice insurance payout for having to retire early, and hope to see him continue as a pundit on RTE

bamboozle

Great player, shame to see him go.

great career deserves all the credit he gets and seems like a genuinely nice lad i wish him all the best

Superbus

One of my first memories of watching rugby as a 7 year old:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnMY12ZdRls

What a player, pity his retirement had to be enforced but nevertheless it's at the end of some career.

Stanza2

What a great guy. Like all Irishmen in Croker when he caught that ball over Strettles head in 07, it was GAA poetry. The only man who was allowed to do that was Shaggy. I remember thinking at the time after he had scored that try..... "go get the ball and solo run hand to toe down the pitch Shane"

Best wishes for a great future.

wp_rathead

Half hoping Connacht could snatch him on a year long contract for next season but alas not to be- best of luck to him in his new career (more than likely journalism/punditry)

great player

ormond lad

Best of luck shaggy. one of the best players to ever come from the youths system
Shame he couldnt finish on his own terms

almighty1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMCHj8I3GiY

Loved this try. Especially the frontal shot at the 8sec mark was epic. Skinned Priestland who is 9 years his junior.

CiaranMT

Love this photo:

.ak

almighty1 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMCHj8I3GiY

Loved this try. Especially the frontal shot at the 8sec mark was epic. Skinned Priestland who is 9 years his junior.

...and he doesn't even break a sweat. Looked seriously comfortable there... jeez, sometimes you forget how much of a speedster he is/was.

Fishooks12

Best of luck to Shane in the future

He deserved at least another 10 caps for his country too

Clegg

Congrats on the wonderful career, Shaggy.

Does anyone else think there will be tears when BOD retires?

Podge_irl

Clegg wrote: »

Does anyone else think there will be tears when BOD retires?

BOD is never retiring. It would be far too upsetting.

danthefan

It had been coming but terrible news all the same. He was so good last season, played as well as he ever has for Leinster imo.

copacetic

Great pity he didn't get back and have some run outs to say goodbye to the fans. Will be greatly missed.

Conchir

He was a great player, and was my favourite player for some years. It's also a shame because he was really hitting some great form last year. Such a physical presence, especially in the air. Those kickoffs by Sexton last season were so overused, yet somehow they still worked and Shaggy was pulling off catches right down to the last matches of the season.

One great memory was England 2007. Obviously that try, but also Strettle standing in his way while chasing a kick, and getting an elbow to the face for his trouble. No way Shaggy wasn't getting to that ball!

Good luck to him in the future.

durkadurka

Great interview with Him on on the ball there

Micky Dolenz

Great servant to Irish rugby and nearly always a safe pair of hands for Country and Province.No doubt we'll be seeing a lot of him on TV in future.

yosser hughes

Great player and really a natural athlete. Great physique. It's a shame he wasn't part of the Grand Slam winning side. A lot of people forget that.
Still he can be happy with a glittering career. A true gentleman of the game.

Eoin

yosser hughes wrote: »

It's a shame he wasn't part of the Grand Slam winning side. A lot of people forget that.

Yes, I thought he was one of the more unfortunate guys to not get a 6N medal for everything he'd done to help turn Ireland into a consistently winning team.

Still, as you said - a great career to look back on.

And that try against England in 2006 was superb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DINPoJWOXw4

Podge_irl

Horgan took that try superbly. But he also did very well in the lead up to realise he wasn't going to make the line and ensure he wasn't tackled into touch. Very smart player, terribly sad to see him go not on his own terms.

Nice to see O'Concrete in an Irish jersey in that clip too.

beertons

Savage player for Leinster and Ireland, will be missed. See ya again on Harcourt Street man. Every time I go up there, I bump into him!

Stheno

.ak wrote: »

Absolute servant to Irish Rugby, unfortunately lost his battle with coming back off an injury.

Whilst it is a pity, he can no doubt look over a glittering career that is full of trophies. An absolute gent off the pitch - met him several times on my travels and he's as humble as pie!

Only pity for me is he didn't play more for Ireland. Some of my fondest memories of him are actually those in a green shirt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu_2NmTDH-E

Love that try, best of luck to him for the future.