A late starter in rugby union and unaware of available steps to carve out an international career outside the country of his birth, it’s now fitting that Bristol-born Kevin Maggs seeks out players in a similar situation, as part of his current role for the Irish Rugby Union Football Union (IRFU).
A sporting all-rounder during his school days, it wasn’t until attending third-level education as a 17-year-old that Maggs took up rugby.
“On my first day of college, I sat next to a guy who played for the Bristol colts, a team back then like a modern-day academy,” he said.
“He asked me to try out at rugby for the college, I said: ‘Yeah, whatever.’ And his dad, who was also a coach at one of the local teams, was watching. He asked me to come along and play. I was hesitant to go at first, but when I went, I loved it. After about eight games, our team got banned for fighting and then I went playing for the men’s team.”
Enjoying life with local club Bristol, how Maggs came to the attention of the Irish set-up is a tale of both fortune and timing.
“I was never aware of any programme to play for the Ireland under-18s or anything like that,” he said.
“I never considered myself to be at that level, to be honest. After getting into the Bristol first team, I sat down with Ralph Knibbs and he asked me what my aspirations were. I let him know that my grandfather was from Limerick and it went from there. Brian Ashton (then Ireland coach) was over to watch David Corkery against Sale and then I was put on the development tour to New Zealand for five weeks.”
Ireland’s Kevin Maggs. (Photo by Nigel French – PA Images via Getty Images)
Maggs went on to earn his first full international cap in late 1997, coming on as a substitute in a 63-15 reverse against the formidable All Blacks at Lansdowne Road.
“If you saw me running on, I’m white,” he said.
“I was petrified because of the whole occasion and some of the biggest names on the international stage in the New Zealand team. Even before that, I was warming up in my tracksuit and jogged past Jonah Lomu, who wasn’t playing, but on the tour with them and I was like: ‘Oh my God, he’s enormous.’ To say that I was crapping it is an understatement.”
While on the books of Bath, Maggs featured in two Rugby World Cups for Ireland – 1999 and the 2003 tournament held in Australia.
“The 1999 one was meant to be in Wales, but we never even went there,” he said.
“We played in Lansdowne Road and then went to Lens, to play Argentina. The whole trip was a nightmare. I’m not making excuses because we were beaten fairly and squarely, but our travel was disrupted, the food was awful… It was carnage.
“Due to this, we never prepared properly prior to that game and I definitely think all that played a part in our exit. Australia then was an unbelievable experience. The buzz everywhere we went, we had thousands of supporters all out to watch us and cheer us on.
“Our hotel lobbies on match days were just phenomenal. It’s just a pity the way it ended against France, as I think we were a little starstruck. We knew exactly what they were going to do, but we didn’t start playing until the second half, which was too little, too late. We also could have avoided all that if we’d beaten Australia in the pool stages.”
The centre’s club career also took in Ulster (where he won the 2006 Celtic League), a return to Bristol, then Rotherham Titans and Moseley, but ultimately Maggs is best remembered for his long-standing partnership in the middle for Ireland with Brian O’Driscoll.
“Brian had all the subtlety and skills, but it was just a good combination we had,” he said.
“We could read each other well and keep the opposition guessing what we were doing. It was a pleasure to play alongside him and be a part of that group.”
Back to the present and Maggs is in the unique position as the IRFU’s IQ rugby regional talent ID coach, enabling those based in the UK to pursue ambitions of representing Ireland, just as he has.
“My job is to identify, develop and support Irish-qualified rugby players, if they have the ability and potential to go further,” he said.
“In lots of ways, I’m looking for similar players to myself. If they’re good enough to play in the underage pathway and hopefully go on to pull on the green jersey… that would be the ideal scenario. We’ve had around 16 players in the under-18s and some of those lads have moved to Ireland, to play for the provinces, which is a testament to them.
“The provinces have really helped us by taking in this exiled talent, who could just as easily be in Australia or wherever and not be aware of the opportunities and possibilities of maybe later representing Ireland.”
Derm
Roar Guru
Furlong is back in training - should be out on the park for the Scarlets match on Saturday week. Bent might get another year if Abdaladze doesn't recover and may be cut from squad. Notwithstanding that, Leinster have Tom Clarkson (TH) and Michael Milne (LH) coming through from academy. That should allow Andrew Porter to shift across to his better playing position at LH to provide a first-rank replacement for Cian Healy who ain't getting any younger - he turns 34 in October. Nationally, Furlong has ideal TH back-up coming through from Tom O'Toole who moved to Australia at age 10 and returned before finishing school to play at Ulster, and Keynan Knox at Ulster. Chris Cloete is contracted at Munster until June 2022.
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Thanks Derm - yes Butler is born in NZ but he went to school in Qld and played all his rugby in Australia, so you could count him as either. Bent might stay a bit longer, with Furlong and Abdaladze both on the long term injury list there is short of talent at THP - Lansdowne prop Greg McGrath has been filling in. Cloete should probably go, he's keeping a possible future test player like John Hodnett out of the Munster side....
Derm
Roar Guru
Nearly - I got my numbers slightly mixed up. Butler born in NZ. Player birthplace breakdown by province - Aus/NZ only Connacht Aus (3): Porch, O'Donnell - NIQ; Bealham (GPQ); NZ (3): Butler, Aki (RIQ), Papali'i (NIQ) Ulster Aus (1): Carter (NIE); NZ (3): Mathewson (NIE); Faddes (NIQ), Reidy (GPQ) Munster Aus: 0 NZ (2): Marshall (RIQ), Carbery (PIQ) Leinster Aus (1): Fardy (NIE); NZ (3): Bent (GPQ), Gibson-Park, Lowe (RIQ) Under current contract negotiations with Nucifora and provinces, I reckon the following are likely to be gone in June: Fardy, Bent, Mathewson, Papali'i. Carter and Faddes are both at end of their 2-year contracts in Ulster - if Nucifora thinks they're blocking players coming through, they won't be renewed.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Yes and now he is teamed up again with Vermuelen at The Bulls..other loosie is Marcus Van Staden.. Affectionately called "Eskom" by his teammates.. For the non Saffa uninitiated, Eskom is the State power utility which has developed a nasty reputation here for constantly putting our lights out. :stoked: it's probably one of the best if not the best non international backrows in World Rugby.
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Thanks Derm, that's quite a list - 6 Australians? John Porch, Ben O'Donnell, Scott Fardy, Finlay Bealham, Sam Carter, Jarrad Butler - who am right? :laughing:
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Go Felix :laughing: I think Felix keeps an eye on Saffa player in Europe, came from Munster with Rassie..
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Nice JN, don't forget to include Jean Kleyn and Keynan Knox. Rassie brought in a lot of Sa players (Cloete, Taute, Arno Botha) but Leinster have none. Good to see Coetzee's going home, the Boks back row he was in with Alberts & Vermeulen was the most damaging I've seen in recent times.
Derm
Roar Guru
The IQ Rugby programme has a network wider than UK. It extends into SA, Aus, NZ and particularly moving into USA where a number of Irish players have moved for opportunities including test duty with the Eagles.
Derm
Roar Guru
The Irish clubs are not aggressively recruiting SA players. One of them has been. I know people like to employ this kind of hyperbole on this topic, but it’s worthwhile looking at the actual numbers. Munster has the largest cohort, driven mainly by the presence of SA coaches who pick what they know, and undoubtedly, the continuing links with Rassie Erasmus from his time there (hence him picking Felix Jones after he left Munster). Munster - 6 Stander - moved in 2012 cos he wasn’t being selected for Boks and Munster needed a new back row - 2-year contract only. Knox - moved from after school into Munster academy in 2017; now playing senior as prop Kleyn - brought in as a special project player in 2016 on 3-year contract to qualify on residency. Cloete (2017) cheap uncapped back row stock contracted until 2022. De Allende (2020) first decent foreign capped player recruited by Munster in over 5 years Snyman (2020) - injured early on - remains to be seen how he goes but should be good. Both De Allende and Snyman only allowed stay for 2 years max as foreign capped players. Connacht - 1 Roux - sought one-season trial with Leinster in 2012, got it, it was renewed for another year but loaned out to Connacht eventually in second season. Got another contract due to long term injury to domestic lock, and became an ‘accidental’ residency qualified player, similar to Connacht’s Ah You and White. Getting a new lease of test life under Farrell, but that could have been down to injury/absence of Dillane, Henderson, and Baird. Ulster - 4 Herring - IQ through grandfather. Moved to London Irish, then semi-pro clubs, before joining Ulster in 2014. Ludik - moved from Agen in France for 2014/15 season. A stalwart club player in his last season. Milasonovich (2019j - qualified through his grandfather who played for Ulster. Injured on arrival in 2019, hasn’t played yet. Suspect he’ll be let go if budgets have to be cut. Coetzee (2016) - arrived from Japan, and injured for nearly first 2 seasons, played a blinder since. Bulls have since pinched him back and will finish in June with Ulster. Leinster - 0. Of foreign-born players in Irish rugby currently Eng - 8 - all PQ or GPQ SA - 11 - 2 GPQ Aus - 6 - 1 GPQ NZ - 10 - 4 PQ or GPQ.
Loose
Roar Rookie
Sounds like a pretty good mix to me.
Loose
Roar Rookie
Probably right, mzilikazi! I'm guilty of making a statement in the comments section without checking facts.
Loose
Roar Rookie
Tom Court is another one who found it difficult to get a contract with an Australian state side and went to Europe for more opportunities.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Finlay Bealham, a great example. Schooled at Eddies in Canberra - no gig with the Brumbies -off to Connaght about 10 years ago, made the academy and the Ireland age sides and subsequently a number of tests for Ireland - still playing at Connacht.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Yep but some think County Bondi is part of (far, far) West Auckland, too! :happy:
Kick n Clap
Guest
Yea, Any if they’ve played League. That way they will know how pass, run and tackle, which are all vital ingredients to being a good Rugby player.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Georgia....guessing, don't know for sure ?
Loose
Roar Rookie
Two-way traffic at last.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Two Saffas now also included in Eddie Jones 28 man England squad.. Lock David Ribbans and Simon Kerrod.. Ironically although Irish clubs aggressively recruiting SA players it was the Boks who poached Aled Walters, fitness guru, and Felix Jones, defensive coach both from Munster into the Bok World Cup coaching team..and by all accounts played a vital role in their success. A bit of just revenge there :stoked:
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Actually since the retirement of Da Beast, entire Bok squad SA born and bred.. I am also guessing here but would not be surprised Argentinian team all home grown too.. Most of the rest cross pollinate.
Loose
Roar Rookie
Thanks, jeznez! He certainly was. His defensive play and direct running cannot be underestimated.