| Full name | John James Hayes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 November 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Dromsally, Cappamore, Co. Limerick, Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
| Weight | 20 st 2lbs (128 kg) | ||
| Notable relative(s) | Tommy Hayes (Brother) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Prop | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| Invercargill Shannon Bruff |
|||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1998–2011 | Munster | 217 | (20) |
| correct as of 27 Dec 2011. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2000–2011 2005,2009 |
Ireland Lions |
105 2 |
(10) (0) |
| correct as of 07 Aug 2011. | |||
John Hayes (born 02 November 1973 in Dromsally, Ireland) is a retired Irish rugby union player, who played in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup for Munster. Having spent his underage career playing with the local Cappamore GAA club, he was 18 when he started playing rugby. It was his size (6'4", 19st) which enabled him to overcome his late start to the sport. He continues to "follow GAA in Limerick very much and especially hurling".[1]
He first played rugby as a wing forward in a Munster Junior League match for Bruff R.F.C. against Newcastle West R.F.C. At the start of his career, he was affectionately referred to as the 'Calf', before then being known as the 'Bullock' as his career progressed then finally the 'Bull'. He is also known for being one of the most honest and professional players in rugby union which is one of the reasons he has had such a long and successful career.
He was introduced to the game of rugby union by friends when he joined the local Rugby Club, Bruff R.F.C. based in County Limerick, he then moved up a grade when he joined Shannon R.F.C. before traveling to Invercargill, New Zealand. During his stay in Invercargill, he changed position from Second Row to Prop Forward. On his return, he rejoined Shannon R.F.C. and gained his place on the Munster squad. He later rejoined his original club, Bruff RFC when they joined the AIL as a senior club in 2004.
Contents |
Hayes won his first International cap against Scotland in 2000 and was Ireland's first-choice tighthead prop from then until the beginning of the 2010–11 season when he has been replaced by fellow Munster player Tony Buckley. He was a member of the British and Irish Lions squad in their tour to New Zealand in 2005 and played in the warm up test match vs Argentina.
Hayes became Ireland's most capped player during Ireland's first Grand Slam in 61 years in 2009 with 94 appearances.[2]
He earned his 100th cap for Ireland against England on 27 February 2010.[3] He was the first Irish player to do so.[4] Hayes lead Ireland out onto the pitch before the game to a standing ovation from the Twickenham crowd. Ireland went on to win the game 20–16 with a late try by Tommy Bowe. Hayes did not play against the Barbarians in Ireland's first match of the Summer Tests, and missed the Test against New Zealand through illness. He came on as a replacement against New Zealand Maori but was left out of the squad to play Australia, thereby losing his title of Ireland's most capped player to Brian O'Driscoll.[5]
He was selected in Ireland's training squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-ups in August[6], and came off the bench in Ireland's first warm-up against Scotland[7]. This turned out to be his last appearence for Ireland, as Hayes was not selected in Ireland's final 30-man squad for the tournament in New Zealand and he retired in December 2011.
In 2006, he helped Munster win the Heineken European Cup in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 21 May against Biarritz. Earlier that year he had helped Ireland secure the Triple Crown.
In 2008, he again helped Munster win the Heineken European Cup in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 24 May against Toulouse.[8]
He became the fifth Munster player to win 200 caps in the Magners League semi-final against Ospreys on 14 May 2011. In July 2011, Hayes was left out the 45-man Munster squad for the forthcoming season fuelling speculation that he may retire after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[9]
Despite the speculation that Hayes would retire, he came off the bench for Munster in their opening RaboDirect Pro12 match against Newport Gwent Dragons in September 2011. Hayes was contracted with Munster until the end of 2011.
Hayes became the first person to play 100 Heineken Cup games in November 2011 when he came on against Northampton Saints in the 2011–12 Heineken Cup.[10][11]
It was announced that Hayes will retire after Munster's RaboDirect Pro12 fixture against Connacht on 26 December 2011[12]. He was selected to start his final match[13][14], and was substituted in the 58th minute, going off the pitch to a huge standing ovation from the crowd. Munster won the match 24-9.[15][16]
On 18 June 2009, Hayes was called up to the British and Irish Lions squad in South Africa as a replacement for the injured Euan Murray. He played in the final test match of the tour.[17]
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||