Ian Dowling
Encyclopedia
Ian Dowling was an Irish
international Rugby player . He played underage and junior club rugby with Kilkenny RFC
and Leinster Senior Cup schools rugby with CBS Kilkenny. He won an AIB League
medal with Shannon RFC
before joining Munster
, with whom he has won two European Rugby Cup
s both in Cardiff
in May 2006 and May 2008. He also has played for the Ireland national rugby league team
and Ireland A
level. Caretaker Ireland coach Michael Bradley
named him in the Ireland
squad for the summer 2008 tour to New Zealand and Australia. Dowling played 27 times in the Heineken Cup for Munster, scoring 5 tries. Dowling won his first cap with the Irish International Rugby Union Team on their 2009 summer tour of North America when he lined out against Canada
on 23 May 2009.
Dowling announced in April 2011 that he was retiring from rugby, due to a hip injury, after medical consultation.
"It's been a fabulous experience. I've made some great friends and take with me really great memories, the two Heineken Cup wins obviously the highlights. But besides that, I've had wonderful times with Munster," said Dowling.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
international Rugby player . He played underage and junior club rugby with Kilkenny RFC
Kilkenny RFC
Kilkenny RFC is an Irish rugby team based in Kilkenny, County Kilkenny. They play in Division Two of the Leinster League. The club colours are black and white.-Honours:* Leinster Junior Challenge Cup: 1920* Leinster Towns Cup: 1955, 1959, 1986, 2001, 2002...
and Leinster Senior Cup schools rugby with CBS Kilkenny. He won an AIB League
AIB League
The Ulster Bank All-Ireland League is the national league system for the 48 senior rugby union clubs in Ireland, covering both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is not, however, the highest level of rugby union in Ireland, as teams representing the four provinces of Ireland play...
medal with Shannon RFC
Shannon RFC
Shannon Rugby Football Club is an amateur rugby union team from Ireland, they hail from Limerick near the banks of the Shannon river. The club is a member of the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch and as one of the top amateur sides in Ireland has seen many of its players progress to...
before joining Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
, with whom he has won two European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup is the organising body of two European rugby union club tournaments; the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. The organisation was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Dublin...
s both in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
in May 2006 and May 2008. He also has played for the Ireland national rugby league team
Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation...
and Ireland A
Ireland A national rugby union team
The Ireland Wolfhounds are the second national rugby union team behind the Irish national side. They have previously competed in the Churchill Cup together with the England Saxons and the full national teams of Canada and the United States as well as selection of other nations' 1st, 2nd and 3rd...
level. Caretaker Ireland coach Michael Bradley
Michael Bradley (rugby)
Michael Bradley is a former Irish rugby union player and the director of rugby at Connacht since 2003. He played primarily at scrum half and was capped 40 times for Ireland. He made his debut in 1984 against Australia and was a member of the 1985 Triple Crown team...
named him in the Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
squad for the summer 2008 tour to New Zealand and Australia. Dowling played 27 times in the Heineken Cup for Munster, scoring 5 tries. Dowling won his first cap with the Irish International Rugby Union Team on their 2009 summer tour of North America when he lined out against Canada
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
on 23 May 2009.
Dowling announced in April 2011 that he was retiring from rugby, due to a hip injury, after medical consultation.
"It's been a fabulous experience. I've made some great friends and take with me really great memories, the two Heineken Cup wins obviously the highlights. But besides that, I've had wonderful times with Munster," said Dowling.