AJ MacGinty

Last updated

AJ MacGinty
AJ MacGinty 2016.jpg
Birth nameAlan León MacGinty
Date of birth (1990-02-26) 26 February 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
School Blackrock College
University Life University
Notable relative(s) Dave Gannon (cousin)
George Norton (grandfather)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Current team Bristol Bears
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2011 NYAC ()
2012–2015 Life Running Eagles ()
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2015–2016 Connacht 16 (64)
2016–2022 Sale Sharks 107 (878)
2022– Bristol Bears 39 (280)
Correct as of 01 November 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2015– United States 39 (393)
Correct as of 16 November 2024

Alan "AJ" MacGinty is an Irish-born professional rugby player, who represents the United States in international competition. He primarily plays as a fly-half. MacGinty plays club rugby for Premiership Rugby team Bristol Bears.

Contents

Early life

A graduate of Blackrock College, MacGinty played with the Blackrock College RFC academy before moving to New York on a visa where he began playing with NYAC. [1] In 2012 MacGinty moved to Marietta, Georgia, where he began a master's degree in Sport Health Science and excelled on the rugby pitch at out-half for the Life Running Eagles. [1]

Club career

Connacht

Following his participation in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, MacGinty was signed by Connacht for the 2015–16 Pro12 season. Connacht head coach Pat Lam said the province had been following MacGinty since the Pacific Nations Cup earlier in the year. [2] MacGinty made his domestic debut for Connacht appearing off the bench in their 33–19 win over Benetton Treviso on 6 November 2015. [3] MacGinty made his European debut on 14 November 2015 in the first match of the 2015–16 Challenge Cup, starting at fly-half and scoring nine points. [4] MacGinty led Connacht to a 28–23 bonus point win over Edinburgh in March 2016 and "controlled matters expertly" to manage Connacht's fifth consecutive win and maintain first place in the Pro12. [5]

He was pivotal in Connacht's Pro12 final win securing the team's first ever silverware.[ citation needed ]

Sale Sharks

In May 2016 it was announced that MacGinty would join English Premiership side Sale Sharks when his deal with Connacht finished in the summer, with South African-capped Marnitz Boshoff taking his place at the province. MacGinty was signed as a replacement for outgoing England international Danny Cipriani. [6]

Bristol Bears

On 10 November 2021 it was announced that MacGinty would be joining Bristol Bears at the end of the 21/22 season. [7]

International career

Having qualified through residency rules, MacGinty made his debut for the United States in July 2015 against Samoa during the Pacific Nations Cup. [8] In the U.S. team's last match of the 2015 Pacific Nations Cup against Canada, MacGinty scored all of the team's points, including a last minute drop goal, to win the match 15–13. [9] MacGinty was the U.S. team's leading scorer throughout the 2015 Pacific Nations Cup, scoring 44 points in three matches. [10]

Following his performances in the Nations Cup, MacGinty was named in the American squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. [11] He featured in three of the team's four games, starting in each of his appearances and scoring 25 points. [2]

International tries

As of 12 July 2024 [12]
TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Wiesbaden, Germany BRITA-Arena 2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals 18 November 2017Win17 – 46
2Flag of Chile.svg  Chile Maipu, Chile Estadio Santiago Bueras 2019 Americas Rugby Championship 2 February 2019Win8 – 71
3
4
5Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa Suva, Fiji ANZ National Stadium 2019 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 3 August 2019Win13 – 10
6Flag of Romania.svg  Romania Chicago, Illinois SeatGeek Stadium 2024 mid-year rugby union tests 6 July 2024Loss20 – 22

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connacht Rugby</span> Rugby team in Ireland

Connacht Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Connacht Branch, which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Connacht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Keatley</span> Irish rugby union player

Ian James T. Keatley is an Irish rugby union player. He plays primarily as a fly-half, but can also play as a centre or fullback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Muldoon (rugby union, born 1982)</span> Irish rugby union coach and player

John Muldoon is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He is currently the Lineout & Maul coach for Connacht.

Dave Gannon is a rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily plays as a lock, but has also played in the back row. Gannon currently plays with Rugby United New York (RUNY) in Major League Rugby (MLR).

John Joseph Hanrahan is an Irish rugby union player who plays for Connacht in the United Rugby Championship. He plays primarily as a fly-half, but can also play as a centre or fullback.

Robert Anthony Henshaw is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Tonetti</span> Rugby player

Kyle Tonetti is a South Africa born former rugby union player, who represented Ireland at various international levels. He primarily played as a centre, though he also played at fly-half earlier in his career. He last played for Irish provincial team Connacht in the Pro12 before being forced to retire prematurely due to injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Healy (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Matthew Healy is an Irish former professional rugby union player. His primary position was on the wing and he was also used as injury cover at fullback, while earlier in his career he played at scrum-half. Healy played his entire career for Irish provincial team Connacht Rugby in the Pro14 and represented Ireland at test level once. He is Connacht's all-time leading try scorer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denis Buckley</span> Rugby player

Denis Buckley is a rugby union player from Ireland. He predominantly plays as a loosehead prop. Buckley currently plays for Irish provincial team Connacht in the Pro14. He plays his club rugby for Buccaneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Carty (rugby union)</span> Irish rugby union player

Jack Carty is a rugby union player from Ireland. His primary position is at fly-half. Having started out with his hometown club, Buccaneers, Carty currently plays for the team of his native province of Connacht in the United Rugby Championship, having come through the team's academy. He is Connacht's record points scorer in the Pro14, having overtaken Ian Keatley in March 2019. Carty is an Ireland international, having made his debut for the side against Italy in 2019.

The 2013–14 Connacht Rugby season was the team's thirteenth season competing in the Pro12 as well as their third season to compete in the Heineken Cup. Following the departure of Eric Elwood, the 2013–14 season saw Pat Lam take charge of the team as head coach.

Shane Patrick O'Leary is an Irish-born professional rugby union player who represents Canada at the international level. He primarily plays at fly-half, but has also played as a centre. O'Leary currently plays for Pro D2 side Rouen, and for the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Cian Kelleher is an Irish professional rugby union player. He primarily plays on the wing or at fullback. Kelleher currently plays for Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship. After initially coming through Leinster's academy, Kelleher had a three-year spell with Irish rivals Connacht, before returning to Leinster for the 2019–20 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Pro12 Grand Final</span> Football match

The 2016 Pro12 Grand Final was the final match of the 2015–16 Pro12 season. The 2015–16 season was the second with Guinness as the title sponsor and the seventh ever League Grand Final. The final was played between Leinster and Connacht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eoghan Masterson</span> Irish rugby union player

Eoghan Masterson is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays for Aurillac. He primarily plays in the back row, though he has played as a lock at under-age level. Masterson previously played for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro14, after being promoted from the academy ahead of the 2015–16 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caolin Blade</span> Ireland international rugby union player

Cáolin Blade is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for United Rugby Championship club Connacht and the Ireland national team.

The 2015–16 season was Irish provincial rugby union side Connacht Rugby's fifteenth season competing in the Pro12, and the team's twentieth season as a professional side. It was Pat Lam's third season in charge of the side. Connacht finished the season as league champions after defeating Leinster in the 2016 Pro12 Grand Final, the team's first trophy in its 131-year history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conor Oliver</span> Irish rugby union player

Conor Oliver is an Irish rugby union player for United Rugby Championship side Connacht. He plays as a flanker and represents Garryowen in the All-Ireland League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Carbery</span> Irish rugby union player

Joseph Carbery is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club Union Bordeaux Bègles Born in New Zealand, he represents Ireland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

The 2016–17 season was Irish provincial rugby union side Connacht Rugby's sixteenth season competing in the Pro12, and the team's twenty-first season as a professional side. It was Pat Lam's fourth and final season in charge of the side.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dublin native MacGinty makes USA debut at out-half against Samoa". The42. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Connacht have signed Irish-born USA out-half AJ MacGinty". The42. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Henshaw among the tries as Connacht move to the top of the table". The42. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "REPORT: Connacht get there in the end" Archived 2018-03-29 at the Wayback Machine , 14 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "Connacht claim Edinburgh win bonus to go six points clear", The Irish Times, Alan Lorimer, 5 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Connacht's AJ MacGinty to replace Danny Cipriani at Sale". The42 . 31 March 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "AJ Macginty to leave Sale Sharks at the end of the season". Sale Sharks. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  8. ↑ "MacGinty Critiques His Eagle Debut", Goff Rugby Report, Jackie Finlan, 19 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "MacGinty Saves USA from Canada", Americas Rugby News, August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Eagles Chosen for Pre-RWC Canada Match". Goff Rugby Report. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2015 squad announced". USA Rugby . 1 September 2015. Archived from the original on 1 September 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  12. ↑ "AJ MacGinty". 19 November 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.