SEVERAL HUNDRED neighbours and friends were at Bruff RFC yesterday to give a fitting farewell to John Hayes at his last training session as a rugby player.

Munster yesterday moved their training base to the rural Limerick club in honour of Hayes, who will be accorded a massive send-off by thousands when he plays his 212th and final game for the province on St Stephen’s Day against Connacht.

Yesterday’s training session brought it all back home to Hayes, who only turned his hand to rugby as an 18-year-old and who was in his early 20s when he converted from a back-five player to a prop.

Hayes said he is sad to be bowing out but has no complaints after a career which saw him win 105 Irish caps, two Heineken Cups, two Magners League titles as well as Lions tours to South Africa and New Zealand.

“There is a certain amount of sadness that it is coming to an end after a very long run. There is a realisation that it is time but I am just looking forward to it now in the last game. I am delighted that it is in Thomond.

“I am delighted to have had the career I did. A lot of things changed since I started. The game wasn’t even professional then and I have enjoyed it over the years, it has been brilliant,” he said.

Hayes said that the longevity of his career was probably due to turning to the game late when his body was developed, but he believes the two seasons he spent in Invercargill in New Zealand when he converted to a prop in his first game, was the decisive move in his career.

“It was huge at the time. I had only played two seasons when I went and to do two seasons back-to-back turned it around for me.

“It was in my first game down there that I changed to the front row,” he said.

Hayes said that rugby has changed completely since he started: “It is a 15-man game now, you have to be able to do all aspects of the game now. You really get found out in defence or something if you are not up to it. You cannot be one dimensional now.”

Hayes was due to retire in October at the end of the World Cup but a front row injury crisis prompted Munster to ask him to stay on.

“I had to think about it. I knew the end of October was going to be it. I had my sights set on that whether I was at the World Cup or whether I was at home. As it turned out I was at home and I came back and got back playing with Munster again and was involved in the first six or seven games. I was enjoying it so I said I’d go for it for another couple of months.”

Munster coach Tony McGahan said that Hayes’ retirement was a huge loss to Munster but that the Cappamore man was leaving a wonderful legacy behind him.

“His general demeanour has always been about the team. That has been evident all the way through, but for him to sign up with us after the World Cup to help us out of a situation speaks immeasurably of the man.

“He wanted to continue to the World Cup and then continue with Munster through the development of our frontrow. So to finish at home at Christmas is a terrific way to finish,” added McGahan.