Shane Horgan
Encyclopedia
Shane Patrick Horgan born 18 July 1978 in Bellewstown
, County Meath
(near Drogheda
) is a rugby union
player who plays wing or centre for Leinster
and Ireland
. He is (1.93 m) tall. While he was young he played for Boyne RFC
. He also played Gaelic football
at Minor (U18) level with Meath
.
Horgan joined Lansdowne on leaving school (St. Mary's Dio., Drogheda) in 1997, making his debut for Leinster in 1998. To date has played for the province 76 times in the Heineken Cup
scoring 27 tries and a drop goal for a combined total of 138 points. He is currently part of a Leinster backline which includes the likes of Brian O'Driscoll
, Gordon D'Arcy
, Isa Nacewa
, Rob Kearney
and Luke Fitzgerald
.
He made his debut for the Ireland senior side against Scotland
in the 2000 Six Nations Championship
, scoring a try in the process. In the following game against Italy
he scored 2 tries and added another one against Wales
during the tournament. Since then he has been a regular starter for Ireland, either at wing or centre. He was selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
. He was used as a substitute during all three tests. After scoring the winning try against England in Twickenham in the 2006 Six Nations Championship
to secure the Triple Crown for the second time in three years, he became a new national hero. Horgan added to his cult following in 2007 when he scored a try against England in Croke Park
by executing a Gaelic football
style catch from a Ronan O'Gara
crossfield kick. Horgan is known by the Irish media and rugby fans as "Shaggy".
Horgan developed a noted rivalry with French winger Vincent Clerc
,In a post-match interview after the 2008 six nations match against Ireland Clerc stated to the French TV channel France 2 that he "never would have been able to score a hat-trick if Shane Horgan had been playing."
unfortunately for Ireland, Horgan was unfit to play.
Horgan has three older sisters Maria, Sharon
– a comedienne and writer – and Lorraine – an actress – and one younger brother, Mark.
In December 2000 Horgan pleaded guilty to assault after an altercation with a doorman outside "The Alley" nightclub in Galway City following a provincial game in the city.
Horgan also studied law at Portobello College Dublin.
He is currently completing a Masters in law at Trinity College Dublin.
Horgan showed a return to something near the levels of performance of his earlier career in early 2011 but it was not enough for Ireland coach Declan Kidney to include in his squad for Rugby World Cup 2011.
Bellewstown
Bellewstown is a village on the Hill of Crockafotha in County Meath in Ireland. The village is situated in a rural setting with views of the Mourne Mountains to the north and the Irish Sea to the east....
, County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
(near Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
) is a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who plays wing or centre for Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
and 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...
. He is (1.93 m) tall. While he was young he played for Boyne RFC
Boyne RFC
- History :The club was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of Drogheda RFC and Delvin RFC.The 2008–2009 season saw the Boyne 1st team claim Ireland's oldest trophy – the Leinster Towns Cup. The final was held in Ashbourne RFC on 19 April 2009 and Boyne beat their opponents on the day,...
. He also played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
at Minor (U18) level with Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
.
Horgan joined Lansdowne on leaving school (St. Mary's Dio., Drogheda) in 1997, making his debut for Leinster in 1998. To date has played for the province 76 times in the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
scoring 27 tries and a drop goal for a combined total of 138 points. He is currently part of a Leinster backline which includes the likes of Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
, Gordon D'Arcy
Gordon D'Arcy
Gordon William D'Arcy is an Irish rugby player, more specifically an inside centre. He is registered to Lansdowne RFC and plays for provincial and RaboDirect Pro12 side Leinster.-Career:...
, Isa Nacewa
Isa Nacewa
Isakeli Nacewa is a New Zealand-born rugby union footballer of Fijian descent. He is a utility back and represents Leinster Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup competitions. He previously represented the Blues in the Super Rugby competition and Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup...
, Rob Kearney
Rob Kearney
Robert Kearney , also referred to as Rob Kearney, is an Irish rugby union footballer who currently plays for UCD, Leinster and Ireland. As a youth he also played rugby union for Clongowes Wood College and Gaelic football for Louth in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship...
and Luke Fitzgerald
Luke Fitzgerald
Luke Matthew Fitzgerald is a Rugby Union footballer. He currently plays at winger or centre for Leinster. Having previously studied at Blackrock College he won two Leinster Schools Senior Cups, in 2004 and 2006. He won his first cap for Ireland in November 2006...
.
He made his debut for the Ireland senior side against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in the 2000 Six Nations Championship
2000 Six Nations Championship
The 2000 Six Nations Championship was the first series of the Six Nations Championship, following the inclusion of Italy into the Five Nations championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the hundred-and-sixth series of the northern hemisphere...
, scoring a try in the process. In the following game against Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
he scored 2 tries and added another one against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
during the tournament. Since then he has been a regular starter for Ireland, either at wing or centre. He was selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
. He was used as a substitute during all three tests. After scoring the winning try against England in Twickenham in the 2006 Six Nations Championship
2006 Six Nations Championship
The 2006 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy...
to secure the Triple Crown for the second time in three years, he became a new national hero. Horgan added to his cult following in 2007 when he scored a try against England in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
by executing a Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
style catch from a Ronan O'Gara
Ronan O'Gara
Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish rugby union player, playing at fly-half for both Munster and Ireland. He is the all time highest point scorer for both Munster and Ireland. In addition to his prolific point-scoring, he has captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions...
crossfield kick. Horgan is known by the Irish media and rugby fans as "Shaggy".
Horgan developed a noted rivalry with French winger Vincent Clerc
Vincent Clerc
Vincent Clerc is a French rugby union player who plays on the wing.-Biography:Born in the city of Échirolles, suburb of the south of Grenoble , Clerc first played rugby at FC Grenoble, helping them reach the Top 16 before moving to Toulouse in 2002, where he has been playing ever since...
,In a post-match interview after the 2008 six nations match against Ireland Clerc stated to the French TV channel France 2 that he "never would have been able to score a hat-trick if Shane Horgan had been playing."
unfortunately for Ireland, Horgan was unfit to play.
Horgan has three older sisters Maria, Sharon
Sharon Horgan
Sharon Horgan is an Irish actress, writer and comedienne.Horgan was born in London and moved to Dublin at age seven. She grew up in Bellewstown, Co. Meath, Ireland. She went to school in the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Drogheda. Later she went on to an English degree at Brunel University...
– a comedienne and writer – and Lorraine – an actress – and one younger brother, Mark.
In December 2000 Horgan pleaded guilty to assault after an altercation with a doorman outside "The Alley" nightclub in Galway City following a provincial game in the city.
Horgan also studied law at Portobello College Dublin.
He is currently completing a Masters in law at Trinity College Dublin.
Horgan showed a return to something near the levels of performance of his earlier career in early 2011 but it was not enough for Ireland coach Declan Kidney to include in his squad for Rugby World Cup 2011.