Page 112 - Lansdowne Yearbook 2020-21 Master Digital Edition

INTRODUCING Ruddock was Head Coach of Leinster and I
was included in their European Cup squad in
MARK MCHUGH 1999. My first Heineken Cup start for Leinster
was against Leicester Tigers in Donnybrook
in a match we won 27-20. That same season I
As Mark McHugh was appointed Head Coach won the AIL as a player with St Mary’s College,
midway through last season which of course beating Lansdowne in the final (I don’t think
was cut short, many members have not had a Stephen Rooney has ever forgiven me).
chance to get to know him so we thought we’d
reprint the interview we did with him just after In 2001, I moved to Connacht and enjoyed
his appointment. 6 years in Galway, playing over 100 times
for the province. One of my highlights was
Can you tell us a little about your playing kicking a winning drop goal against Leinster
career? in Donnybrook in Sept 2002 (ironically the last
time Connacht beat Leinster in Dublin!).
Started playing at 6years old in Drogheda
RFC (now Boyne RFC). Played minis and In 2002, I travelled with Ireland to Russia for
youths rugby at scrum half but subsequently a RWC qualifier and in 2003 I was a part of
represented Leinster Youths and Ireland the Ireland squad that toured Australia and
Youths for two seasons in 1995 – 1997 at out the Pacific Islands, winning my first (and so
half, captaining the Irish Youths team in my far only) cap against Tonga, scoring a try in a
second season (a team which also included game we won 40-19.
Lansdowne FC player, Shane Horgan).
In 2007 I moved to the south of France and
Was a member of the IRFU national Academy the beautiful city of Montpelier. I played for
and moved to DUFC (Trinity) for season 1997- two seasons in the Top14 and it was certainly
1998 and enjoyed two years there, the second a very different experience, both rugby and
of which was Tony Smeeth’s first year as DoR. lifestyle than Galway had to offer.
Played for Ireland U21s in RWC in Argentina 2009 saw me head to Nice and enjoy two
summer 1999 and then switched clubs to St seasons on the Cote d’Azur. Injuries and old
Mary’s College RFC. At the same time Mike age forced me to retire in 2012 at age 33.
112 YEARBOOK 2020-2021