Lost amid the Trimble/tighthead/scrum-half debate was the fact that Gordon D’Arcy’s international career is over.
After 82 Tests matches [plus one for the British & Irish Lions], D’Arcy will never line out for his country again.
The inside centre scored seven tries along the way, set more than double that up, won a Grand Slam, 2014 Six Nations, two Triple Crowns, a Six Nations Player of the Year award and – when centres were required to be additional loose forwards – achieved countless turnovers for the cause.
On Sunday, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt left him out of his World Cup squad. On Tuesday, Schmidt confirmed the news to all of us.
Asked about backline cover, the coach named Andrew Trimble, Fergus McFadden and Felix Jones. D’Arcy did not get a mention.
It may be scant consolation, but at least D’Arcy got one last run out at Lansdowne Road. Ireland beat Scotland 28-22 and the Wexford native posed with his wife, Aoife, and daughter, Soleil, on the pitch after the final whistle.
There was no floating mobile banners or #ThankYouGordon social media campaigns but D’Arcy would have preferred it that way.
We caught up with Shane Horgan, D’Arcy’s former Leinster and Ireland teammate, and asked about one half of Irish rugby’s greatest ever midfield partnership.
‘He’s had a remarkable career,” says Horgan.”He hasn’t made this World Cup squad but this isn’t even going to be a footnote on that career.
‘The fact is that he’s the longest-serving Irish rugby player – when he overtook Mike Gibson’s record – is really remarkable. That shows that you can put him in the pantheon of the greats.’
‘In a way,’ Horgan reasons, ‘he suffered by being next to the greatest of all time (Brian O’Driscoll)
‘If you played with him, you knew how important he was to the side. He was a terrific tackler, for not a huge man, and he also had great footwork.’
Horan continues, ‘Gordon was blessed with this natural talent. He was this kid that gained a lot of attention when he was playing out at Clongowes. He was picked for that South Africa tour in 1998, when he was just out of school. He was capped very early.
‘He was a guy that really bought into it, to professionalism in Ireland. It was important, to Gordon’s story, when he missed out on the 2003 World Cup, he went away and dedicated himself to being an all-out professional.
‘It really is one of the all-time careers and he’ll be remembered as one of the all-time greats, someone who really crossed over the eras as a rugby player.’
*Horgan will be part of this weekend’s commentary team for Sky Sports, who show live rugby every month of the year including England v Ireland this Saturday at 2.30pm.
