Ian Madigan
 | |||
| Full name | Ian Madigan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 March 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Weight | 91 kilograms (14 st 5 lb) | ||
| School | Blackrock College | ||
| Occupation(s) | Professional rugby union player | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Fly-half, Full-back, Centre | ||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| Blackrock College RFC | |||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2009-16 2016- |
Leinster Bordeaux Bègles |
144 0 |
(827) (0) |
| correct as of 15 April 2016. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2008-09 2012- 2013- |
Ireland U-20 Ireland Wolfhounds Ireland |
14 4 29 |
(25) (20) (121) |
| correct as of 12 March 2016. | |||
Ian Madigan is an Irish professional rugby union player for Blackrock College RFC, Leinster Rugby and Ireland. His primary position is at fly-half, although he can also play at centre and full-back.[1]
Leinster
Madigan made his senior debut for Leinster in a Celtic League match versus Newport Gwent Dragons in May 2009.[2] He went on to make 18 appearances for Leinster during the season. Madigan broke through to the Heineken Cup squad and came on as a replacement in Leinster's cup final victory against Northampton Saints.[3] The following season he became a regular first XV player and scored five tries in ten matches. He made a superb substitute appearance in the 2012 Heineken Cup final in Twickenham, with his long looping pass to Sean O'Brien enabling him to put Sean Cronin in for the final try.[4] With the departure of Jonathan Sexton to Racing Métro at the start of the 2013-14 season, Madigan was vying with New Zealander Jimmy Gopperth, who joined the province from Newcastle Falcons, for the role of first choice fly-half. Throughout that season the selectors adopted a system of alternation between the two players, with neither individual being considered to have nailed down the number ten jersey.
On 21 March 2014, Madigan made his 100th appearance for Leinster in a league match against Italian side Zebre. The following weekend when Leinster took on Munster, he kicked five penalties and one conversion in a 22-18 win. He scored a winning try in the 2013-14 Pro 12 Semi-Final against Ulster at the RDS Arena. He came on in the 9th minute of the Grand Final for Brian O'Driscoll. Madigan was impressive in the match as Leinster dominated the second half of the match and won it 34-12.
Leinster reached the semi-final of the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup, being defeated by Toulon 25-20 in extra-time. With seconds remaining in the first-half of extra time, Madigan attempted a huge pass which was read and intercepted by Springbok Bryan Habana, who sprinted 50 metres to score a try which effectively put the game beyond Leinster's reach.[5] This loss, coupled with Leinster's failure to get to the play-off stage of the Pro 12 league, ended a woeful season for the Dublin-based province and the effective sacking of head coach Matt O'Connor.
During the 2014-15 season, Madigan has started primarily at inside centre, with Gopperth playing at 10. With the imminent departure of Gopperth for London Wasps at the end of the season, he will again resume his role as deputy to Jonny Sexton, who returns after two seasons at Racing Metro.[6] In advance of Sexton's return home to his native province, Madigan has stated his desire to play alongside Sexton at inside centre for the coming season.[7]
Bordeaux Bègles
In December 2015 it was announced that Madigan would be leaving Leinster at the end of the season to join French Top 14 club Bordeaux Bègles.[8]
Ireland
After injury to Jonathan Sexton during the 2013 Six Nations campaign, Madigan was drafted into the Ireland squad as cover at outside half. He made two substitute appearances, against France and Italy.[9] Madigan was included in Ireland's squad for the summer tour of North America in June 2013, where he started both Tests against the US Eagles in Houston and Canada in Toronto.
In the November end of year internationals, he made a further three substitute appearances against Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand; a dramatic encounter in which Ireland were denied an historic first-ever win over the All Blacks in the final minute of the Test match.[10] Madigan was included in the national squad for the 2014 Six Nations, making a 68th-minute substitute appearance in the final match of the campaign against France. Ireland won the game 22-20, securing their first championship title since 2009, and only their second win in Paris in 42 years.[11]
In June 2014, Ireland toured Argentina, playing a two-test series against the Pumas. Madigan made substitute appearances in both matches, scoring a try and a conversion in the second Test in Tucumán to seal victory. Ireland won the series 2-0, and in doing so secured their first ever Test series win in Argentina.[12] He was included in the national squad for the 2014 Autumn internationals series, making a start at fly-half for the Test against Georgia, and two substitute appearances against South Africa and Australia. Ireland won all three Tests, securing their first Autumn series clean-sweep since 2006.[13]
Madigan was involved in the entire 2015 Six Nations, making substitute appearances in all five Tests. Ireland retained their title from the previous year, their 13th triumph in the competition. This was the first time that Ireland had retained their title outright since 1949, having shared the 1983 championship with France after winning in 1982.[14] He celebrated his 26th birthday on the 21st of March, the same day Ireland were crowned northern hemisphere champions.
Madigan appeared in all five of Ireland's 2015 Rugby World Cup games, making a memorable substitute performance in the final pool game against France, when he came on as a replacement for Jonathan Sexton in the 26th minute, and steered Ireland to victory. After Sexton failed to recover from his groin strain in time, Madigan started at 10 the following week in the quarter final meeting against Argentina. Ireland lost the game 43-20, and bowed out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage for the sixth time.[15]
References
- ↑ Ian Madigan | Rugby Union | Players and Officials. ESPN Scrum. Retrieved on 10 June 2013.
- ↑ Ian Madigan player profile leinsterrugby.ie
- ↑ Leinster v Northampton Heineken Cup Final 2011. LineoutCoach.com (21 May 2011). Retrieved on 10 June 2013.
- ↑ Heineken Cup final: Leinster beat Ulster to retain trophy BBC Sport
- ↑ Toulon still on for third title Planet Rugby
- ↑ Gopperth set to leave Leinster ESPNscrum.com
- ↑ Sexton helped Madigan through ‘two hours of hell’ at Murrayfield Irish Times
- ↑ Madigan signs for Bordeaux-Bègles Planet Rugby
- ↑ Ian Madigan drafted into Ireland squad RTÉ Sport
- ↑ Last-gasp All Blacks break Irish hearts ESPN Scrum
- ↑ Ireland beat France to secure Six Nations title ESPN Scrum
- ↑ Ireland battle to hard-fought win ESPN Scrum
- ↑ Ireland hold on in Wallabies thriller ESPN Scrum
- ↑ "Determined Ireland batter Scots". ESPN Scrum (ESPN Sports Media). 21 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ↑ Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland 20-43 Argentina BBC Sport
External links
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