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'Hard as f***' - McFadden praised by Leinster legends including O'Driscoll and O'Brien
By Ciarán Kennedy
Fergus McFadden has been praised “as one of the hardest players in the game” following the Leinster player’s announcement that he will retire at the end of the season.
After making his debut for the Irish province in September 2007, McFadden was part of the most successful era in Leinster’s history, representing the Irish province 184 times to date.
News of his retirement has seen a host of team-mates take to social media to praise McFadden's contribution to Leinster rugby across a glittering 13-year career.
“One of the best team mates of them all,” Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll wrote on Twitter.
“Loved playing in the same team as him. Hard as f*** and a mental toughness to live with anyone.”
“One of the hardest players in the game,” McFadden’s former Leinster team-mate Sean O’Brien wrote on Instagram.
Jamie Heaslip, who retired in 2018, said: “One of the most determined, toughest, talented players I’ve had the pleasure to call a teammate. Always wanted this guy on your team.”
On Instagram, Rob Kearney wrote: “So many amazing memories with man - tough as nails on the pitch, always stood up on the big occasions and fair to say the best craic off the field too.”
“Absolutely loved taking the field with this man over the years,” wrote Rhys Ruddock.
“Always know he will have your back, on and off the pitch.”
McFadden confirmed his intention to retire on Sunday, with Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, also a former team-mate of McFadden, also reserving high praise for the versatile back.
"Fergus has been an amazing contributor to lots of great things that have taken place in Leinster and Irish rugby and he’s definitely one of the great characters that we’ve had around in the group," Cullen said.
Having played in both of Leinster’s Heineken Cup final wins in 2011 and 2012, McFadden missed the 2018 win over Racing after picking up an injury while scoring a try in the semi-final win against Scarlets.
McFadden also played in Leinster’s Pro12 final wins in 2013 and 2014.
He won 34 caps for Ireland, scoring 10 tries at Test level, and playing in the 2011 World Cup.
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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