Shane Byrne

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For the motorcycle racer often known as Shakey, see Shane Byrne (motorcycle racer).

James Shane Byrne (born Sunday 18 July 1971) is an Irish rugby union footballer. Byrne is one of few players from the amateur era still involved at international level. He is nicknamed 'Munch' or 'Mullet' (a reference to his hair style).

A native of Aughrim, County Wicklow. He attended Blackrock College in Dublin, the alma mater of many Irish greats.

He plied his trade for many years at Leinster, where he was always considered a solid and highly effective thrower but nonetheless never given the recognition he was perhaps due. This lack of appreciation carried through to his international career which started comparatively late and which did not blossom until the retirement of Keith Wood. When eventually given his shot in a World Cup qualifier in Romania he grabbed it with both hands and became a fixture in the national side.

In 2005 he was honoured with selection to the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and his form on tour was such that he was selected for the first test. Unfortunately, a disastrous line-out performance, not all his fault, led to him losing his place for the second test to England's Steve Thompson. Due to injury Byrne, regained the No. 2 jersey for the third test. In being selected for two Lions tests, Byrne can now be regarded as one of Ireland's great hookers alongside Ronnie Dawson, Karl Mullen, Gordon Wood, Ken Kennedy, Ciaran Fitzgerald and Keith Wood.

In the weeks following the Lions tour his contract talks with Leinster were inconclusive and he joined Saracens in the summer of 2005.