Ian McKinley retiring

Lost Ormond

Deserves its own thread
Amazing career considering how he went to Italy to coach after the incident that initially stopped his career in Leinster and he became first in world to use rugby goggles and became leader in the campaign to allow use of these goggles across the world.

To go on and be capped for Italy is amazing

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNADFp_HdWn/?igshid=1g6ijhmgzkiy0

PMC83

Lost Ormond wrote: »

Deserves its own thread
Amazing career considering how he went to Italy to coach after the incident that initially stopped his career in Leinster and he became first in world to use rugby goggles and became leader in the campaign to allow use of these goggles across the world.

To go on and be capped for Italy is amazing

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNADFp_HdWn/?igshid=1g6ijhmgzkiy0

A great sports story and inspiration to many. Imagine the lift it gave some young kids, brilliant stuff

molloyjh

I hope he stays on as an analyst. Really liked what he brought to the 6Ns coverage. Either way best of luck to him. Truly incredible story.

prawnsambo

molloyjh wrote: »

I hope he stays on as an analyst. Really liked what he brought to the 6Ns coverage. Either way best of luck to him. Truly incredible story.

Yeah. Has a nice calm delivery and good insights. Has a future there if the opportunities present themselves. Fair play to Virgin for bringing him in.

arsebiscuits1

molloyjh wrote: »

I hope he stays on as an analyst. Really liked what he brought to the 6Ns coverage. Either way best of luck to him. Truly incredible story.

Also showed a lot of people the benefit to a well tailored suit - I gotta say I was impressed with how sharp he looked at all times.

He's well spoken, knowledgeable, has a great profile and is objectively a very good looking man.

He could do quite well on the TV if he keeps it up

CatFromHue

There's potential for him as an analyst as like Andy Dunne or Matt Williams he won't know many of the players personally so can speak more freely than most ex players.

aloooof

There's a brilliant book in McKinley's story. Seems like one of the good guys as well.

Lost Ormond

CatFromHue wrote: »

There's potential for him as an analyst as like Andy Dunne or Matt Williams he won't know many of the players personally so can speak more freely than most ex players.

Very much so and having played abroad, in Italy and capped there, brings knowledge of lot of other players many ex players who solely played here will never have

aloooof wrote: »

There's a brilliant book in McKinley's story. Seems like one of the good guys as well.

Potential for film as well. Took a huge chance to play in Italy and then to get back to playing professionally and go on to get capped for the italians as well.

CrabRevolution

Can't say I'm hugely invested in Rugby, but McKinley's story was always worth following. Each step up he took from Italian domestic Rugby to Pro12 to extended Italy squad to Italy bench to full caps, just seemed like he was pushing through a ceiling every time to a new level.

"Inspiring" is a term used so much that it has lost a lot of meaning, but it definitely applies in McKinley's case.

sydthebeat

aloooof wrote: »

There's a brilliant book in McKinley's story. Seems like one of the good guys as well.

very much so...

when this whole goggles issue was paramount here, when ireland wasnt part of world rugbys trial... we had an issue in our club of minis players wearing sports goggles and some clubs having issues with it... not 'authorised' sports equipment etc.

there was quite a bit of news reporting about it both locally and nationally... and we'd like to think the decision of the IRFU to apply to be part of the goggles trial was, in a small part, due to the pressure we presented.

Ian, through his brother Philip, was having on going communications with us as well as with the IRFU and it was afters Ians presentation to the IRFU of his own developed goggles did the IRFU decide to apply to be part of the trial, thus opening up the path for our and all other visually impaired players to play the sport we love.

That year Ian, on his Christmas break from Treviso, came down to our club , i think his mother drove. This was 2 days before christmas day i think … and our club is probably the guts of 1.5 hr journey and he stayed for a good hour... so gave up the best part of 4 - 5 hrs to come down to meet and thank the 3 minis players who were affected by this issue and tell them his story.

He didnt at all have to do anything like that but its a measure of the guy to be so generous with his valuable time at that time of year. Touch of class.

phog

A guy that thought his rugby career had ended a few years ago yet went on the play international rugby, he's always so positive, a joy to listen to.

As already mentioned, he's a great analyst so I hope he sticks at it, he'd encourage you to watch rugby.

The very best of luck to him.

randomname2005

Lost Ormond wrote: »

Potential for film as well. Took a huge chance to play in Italy and then to get back to playing professionally and go on to get capped for the italians as well.

There is already one called Look Beyond. It is on Amazon Prime and possibly more

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116728809#Comment_116728809

Seems the best spot for this, and one for the Christmas present list.

https://twitter.com/ianmck7/status/1583151979089760256

mr_edge_to_you

Agree with the posts above. I think he's a very good analyst and communicator. Everything he achieved, he had to do it the hard way. Comes across as a gent.

As for the goggles and his efforts to get them recognised/accepted, I'm involved in coaching minis and you can see this having a massive impact in the minis game.

Wish him all the best!