No ‘long goodbye’ from D’Arcy as he plans future

Rugby player Gordon D’Arcy has discussed the risks involved in modern rugby especially those associated with concussion but admits it is difficult to deter players from competing.

“How do you tell someone now not to play when something could go wrong or may not go wrong in the future? Statistically it’s going to affect somebody down the line, you just kind of hope you’re not one of those statistics.”

In a podcast interview with Roisin Ingle he says that the game has become tougher since he started and he 'wouldn't have lasted as long' if he had started more recently.

Though uncertain yet of his actual retirement date, he says he will finish in the very near future and will be considering all options carefully with Ireland and Leinster coaches Joe Schmidt and Matt O'Connor.

The Wexford-born player, who has been capped 79 times for Ireland, promises it won’t be “a long goodbye” when the time comes.

He also spoke of his desire to tackle the Camino de Santiago walk after retirement.

The pilgrimage route in Northern Spain attracts thousands of walkers each year and he says the walk is something his friends have recommended.

Form School, the pilates studio he runs with his wife Aoife Cogan, is growing in popularity with other rugby players. The Irish team now use its facilities on the Fridays before internationals. "Rugby players are competitive, and if they can see somebody is getting a bit of an extra per cent of an advantage somewhere, guys are very, very interested."

The competitive spirit seems high in the Leinster team. Darcy reveals the squad has its own private Facebook page to compare cooking recipes, and competitions to decide on winners. His best entry has been beef cheeks cooked for 36 hours with cauliflower mash.

The Roisin Meets podcast can be subscribed to for free each week via i-tunes.