Long journey back goes like a dream

Rugby Ireland v France: Gavin Cummiskeytalks to Gordon D'Arcy who made a triumphant international return and marked it with a crucial try

VAN MORRISON’s Days Like This said it best. Another one of those memorable days at Croke Park when those in attendance realised they were witnessing something special and hopefully lasting. For sure, the French will be happy to see the back of north Dublin.

The player reaction to Jamie Heaslip’s try bordered on euphoric but too early in the match (36 minutes) for anyone to lose their composure. When Brian O’Driscoll swerved inside Julien Malzieu for a try with shades of his individual effort on the 2001 Lions Tour in Australia, he was immediately surrounded by the younger three-quarters who grew up watching their captain cut a swathe through world rugby.

Then came the remarkable, and for a time unlikely, return of Gordon D’Arcy.

This has been a ridiculously undulating career with the highs now far exceeding the troughs. And yet, since D’Arcy suffered a complicated arm fracture against Italy in last season’s Six Nations match he has undergone a nightmare recuperation period that included three operations.

Last week he togged out for Lansdowne in an AIL Division Two fixture against Greystones. That was just to get some extra game time under his belt, having been unable to dislodge any three-quarters at Leinster since returning over the Christmas period.

Since first coming to prominence as a serious attacking talent during Clongowes Wood College’s run to the 1997 Leinster schools’ final, D’Arcy has always been marked down for a long, fruitful career. Saturday’s cameo role was evidence of this becoming a reality.

Paddy Wallace may retain the inside centre berth for Rome but after the Ulster player eventually succumbed to a head wound, suddenly D’Arcy was back on the main stage. Within five minutes he found himself 10 yards from the French line, screaming for ball off Tomás O’Leary. The Corkman (seems like he has been there for years, doesn’t it?) duly obliged.

“We’d done a bit of work on them and we knew in the 22 the forwards could carry, carry and we might be able to suck them in. I managed to get a one on one with a forward,” said D’Arcy.

Not just any forward but the usually impregnable grip of Thierry Dusautoir. The All Black assassin was unable to deny the Wexford native twisting over for a fifth Test-match try.

He let out a deep roar as Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney and Brian O’Driscoll mobbed their rejuvenated friend. The realisation set in that France were groggy, on the ropes and Gordon D’Arcy was back doing what he does best – breaking the gain-line.

The obvious line of questioning for the man who turns 29 on Tuesday was the long road back to fitness, especially considering Chinese whispers had him on the scrapheap just a few months back.

Eleven months. Operation after operation and things didn’t knit. Did you think that was it sometimes? “I’m back playing rugby now so I’m pretty happy,” he says. How satisfying is that considering what you had to get through to get back on the pitch today? “Deccie (Kidney) has put a lot on the line by putting me on the bench, not having played a lot of rugby in the last 12 months. I played for Lansdowne last week. It was a big gamble on his part so it was just nice to be able to repay a couple of people who put a bit of faith in me.”

He fended off any more queries trying to turn the situation into a romantic return to arms. It’s simply not his way. D’Arcy is the type of fellow you would see at the back of the stands supporting Leinster when injured. The type of player who doesn’t tog out for his club for personal reasons but actually buys into the promotion battle Lansdowne are currently embroiled in (they went top after a 25-5 defeat of Greystones with D’Arcy claiming a try).

Club rugby in Ireland is considered another sport by many professional coaches. Releasing a player is rare and a constant struggle so for an international, a Lion even, to feature was a huge boost to the bottom tier of Irish rugby, on life support since the advent of professionalism.

“It just popped up. I decided it was a good idea because I hadn’t played too much. You can make what you want out of a game like that. You can go and sit on the wings and do nothing. I got stuck into it and got as many touches of the ball as I could,” said D’Arcy.

“I’d know a lot of the players, one of my friends is coaching and there are ex-Leinster players. The great thing is in a team like that they are playing for promotion so every game actually means everything to them. They were happy that I came in and didn’t act the mick and got stuck into it and wanted to win the game as much as they did,” he adds.

Lansdowne will struggle to regain his services for the rest of the season as an intriguing debate about the number 12 jersey begins.

“When you come back from an injury you get a chance. Rugby is all about chances. Whether you take them or let them pass you by. Look back 12 months, Rob Kearney took his chance and look at the player we have now. I can only take the chances that are given in front of me,” concludes D’Arcy.