Damien Varley

Damien Varley (born 29 October 1983) is a former Irish rugby union player who represented Munster and Ireland. He played as a hooker. Varley was forced to retire from rugby in February 2015, due to a foot injury.[1][2][3]

Damien Varley
Varley at his old school, St Munchin's College
Date of birth (1983-10-29) 29 October 1983
Place of birthLimerick, Ireland
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight110 kg (17 st; 240 lb)
SchoolSt Munchin's College
UniversityUniversity of Limerick
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Garryowen ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006–2008
2008–2009
2009–2015		 Munster
Wasps
Munster		 2
4
121		 (0)
(10)
(60)
Correct as of 5 October 2014
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2014
2011–2013		 Ireland
Ireland Wolfhounds		 3
4		 (0)
(0)
Correct as of 9 February 2015

Early life

Varley was educated in a boarding school, St. Munchin's College in Limerick where he scored two tries as Munchin's won the Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup final in 2002. He studied at the University of Limerick.

Munster

Varley made his senior debut for Munster as a replacement in a Celtic League fixture against Ospreys on 5 May 2006.[4]

London Wasps

Varley joined English club side London Wasps on a one-year contract on 26 September 2008, and scored a try for his new club less than a day later in a late win against Leicester Tigers.[5]

Return to Munster

Varley rejoined his native province for the start of the 2009–10 season, and went on to play a total of 22 games for Munster that season, including his Heineken Cup debut as a replacement against Benetton Treviso on 17 October 2009.[6] He started for Munster in their historic 15–6 victory against Australia at Thomond Park on 16 November 2010.[7] Varley also started for Munster when they beat arch-rivals, and newly crowned Heineken Cup champions, Leinster 19–9 in the 2011 Magners League Grand Final.[8] He signed a two-year contract extension with Munster in February 2013.[9] Varley captained Munster in their 2013-14 Heineken Cup 24-16 semi-final defeat to Toulon on 27 April 2014.[10]

Ireland

Varley joined the Ireland squad for the 2010 Summer Tour as cover for Jerry Flannery, and was selected for the New Zealand Barbarians for their match against New Zealand Maori, after the IRFU agreed to release two players for the fixture, but had to withdraw from the squad due to a back injury. He came on as a substitute for Ireland against the Maori a week later, and was named on the bench for Ireland's game against Australia, coming on to win his first cap in the last few minutes. He was named in the Ireland squad for the 2010 Autumn Tests, and came on against Argentina.

He was selected in Ireland's training squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-ups in August, but was left out of the final squad. However, during training at the World Cup, Jerry Flannery suffered an injury and Varley was called up to replace him in the squad.[11] He was selected in the Ireland Wolfhounds squad for their game against England Saxons in January 2012.[12]

Varley was called into Ireland's training squad for the 2013 Six Nations Championship on 21 January 2013.[13] He came on as a replacement during Ireland Wolfhounds friendly with England Saxons on 25 January 2013.[14] Varley was named in the Ireland squad for their 2014 Tour to Argentina on 19 May 2014.[15] He came off the bench in the first test against Argentina on 7 June 2014.[16]

References
  1. "Varley Forced To Retire". munsterrugby.ie. 17 February 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  2. "Munster's Damien Varley forced into premature retirement by foot injury". Irish Independent. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  3. "Damien Varley has been forced to retire from rugby at the age of 31". the42. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  4. "Ospreys 27–10 Munster". munsterrugby.ie. 5 May 2006. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  5. "Unlikely hero Varley kick-starts negative Wasps' campaign". guardian.co.uk. 27 September 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  6. "Munster v Benetton Treviso". ercrugby.com. 17 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  7. "Class of 2010 Excel". munsterrugby.ie. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  8. "Munster Crowned Magners League Champions". munsterrugby.ie. 28 May 2011. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  9. "Jones and Varley Extend Contracts". munsterrugby.ie. 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  10. "Toulon End Munster's European Campaign". munsterrugby.ie. 27 April 2014. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  11. "Rugby World Cup 2011: Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery out of World Cup". BBC Sport. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  12. "Ireland And O2 Ireland Wolfhounds Squads Announced". irishrugby.ie. 18 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  13. "Seven Players Added To Training Squad". irishrugby.ie. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  14. "Wolfhounds Lose Grip on First Half Lead". irishrugby.ie. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  15. "Ireland Squad Named For Argentina". munsterrugby.ie. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  16. "New-Look Ireland Stretch Clear Of Pumas In Second Half". irishrugby.ie. 7 June 2014. Archived from the original on 9 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
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