Shane Layden

Shane Layden
Date of birth 9 September 1992
Place of birth Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 95 kilograms (14 st 13 lb)
School Cistercian College, Roscrea
Rugby union career
Current status
Position(s) Fullback
current team Connacht
Playing career
Position Fullback, Winger, Centre
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Buccaneers
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2014- Connacht 4 (0)
correct as of 11 Feb 2015.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2012 Ireland u20 5 (15)
correct as of 11 Feb 2015.

Shane Layden (born 9 September 1992) is a rugby union player from Ireland. He is currently registered as a fullback, but has previously played both as a centre and on the wing. Layden currently plays for the Irish provincial team Connacht Rugby in the Pro12, having come through the academy. A graduate of the prestigious Cistercian College in Roscrea,[1] Layden plays his club rugby for Buccaneers.

Career

Connacht

Layden joined the Connacht academy for the 2011–12 season. Layden had previously been part of a combined Connacht/Munster side that played against a Leinster/Ulster selection in an Under-20 match to open the Aviva Stadium in 2010.[2] He was part of the Connacht team that won the Under-20 Interprovincial Championship in 2011, and scored a hat-trick of tries in the game against Munster. Layden made his senior Connacht debut on 8 October 2011, coming on in a 2011–12 Pro12 match as a replacement against Leinster.[3]

Layden's next two seasons were hampered by injuries, and although he featured for the second tier team, the Connacht Eagles, in the British and Irish Cup, Layden did not play for the senior side again during his time in the academy. At the end of the 2013–14 season, Layden had completed the maximum three years in the academy. Despite his injury problems, Connacht decided to offer Layden a further one-year contract, which sees him become a member of the senior team for the 2014–15 season.[4][5]

International

Layden has represented Ireland internationally at under-age level. He played for the Ireland Under-20s in the 2012 Under 20 Six Nations. Layden started in all five games, and sscored tries against Wales, Italy and Scotland.[6] Layden was also initially named to the Ireland Under-20 squad for the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, but injury forced him to miss the tournament, and he was replaced by his fellow Connacht academy member Conor Finn.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "CCR Rugby: Booming during the bust.". Cistercian College, Roscrea.
  2. ↑ "Leinster/Ulster cut loose as Aviva opens in spectacular try fest". Irish Examiner. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Connacht Squad Index: Shane Layden". Guinness PRO12. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Connacht complete 2014/15 recruitment with signing of Niyi Adeolokun". The Score. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "Ireland U20 centre Peter Robb one of five new recruits in Connacht academy". The Score. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014. Fullback Shane Layden has completed his three years in the Academy, but has been re-contracted for a further season due to his injury problems during the 2013/14 campaign. The former Ireland U20 international will be part of Pat Lam’s senior squad next season.
  6. ↑ "Ireland U20 Squad Profiles: Shane Layden". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "Carty and Finn called up to Ireland U20 World Cup squad". Westmeath Independent. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2014. Finn replaces Buccaneers team-mate Shane Layden whose injury, unfortunately, did not recover in time to enable the exciting full-back/wing to travel.