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| Birth name | Dave | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 12 January 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Youghal, Cork, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 112 kg (17.6 st; 247 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Midleton College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University College Cork | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dave O'Callaghan (born 12 January 1990) is an Irish rugby union player for French Rugby Pro D2 side Biarritz. He plays as a flanker, usually blindside, but can also play as a lock. O'Callaghan has a Commerce degree from University College Cork. [1]
O'Callaghan moved up through the Munster Academy after joining in November 2009. As an academy member, he frequently appeared in friendlies and the British and Irish Cup for Munster A. He was a member of the Munster A team that finished runners-up in 2009–10 British and Irish Cup. [2]
On 8 October 2011, O'Callaghan made his full Munster debut against Ospreys in a Pro12 match. [3] [4] O'Callaghan was named in Munster's squad for the 2011–12 Heineken Cup in October 2011. [5] He made his Heineken Cup debut against Northampton Saints on 21 January 2012, in Round 6 of the pool stage. [6] [7]
O'Callaghan signed a Development contract with Munster in March 2012. [8] On 27 April 2012, O'Callaghan started for the Munster A team that beat Cross Keys 31–12 to win the final of the 2011–12 British and Irish Cup. [9] He won the John McCarthy Award for Munster Academy Player of the Year for the 2011–12 season. [10]
In January 2013, O'Callaghan agreed a two-year contract extension with Munster. [11] In January 2015, O'Callaghan signed a one-year contract to remain with Munster until at least June 2016. [12] O'Callaghan started in Munster's opening game of the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup on 14 November 2015. [13] In December 2015, O'Callaghan signed a two-year contract extension with Munster. [14] On 24 September 2016, O'Callaghan scored the bonus-point try in Munster's 28–14 win against Edinburgh. [15] He made his return from a knee injury on 19 January 2018, coming off the bench for Munster A in their 27–0 British and Irish Cup win against Ospreys Premiership Select. [16] O'Callaghan signed a one-year contract extension with Munster in March 2018. [17]
O'Callaghan left Munster to join French Rugby Pro D2 side Biarritz ahead of the 2019–20 season. [18]
O'Callaghan joined the Emerging Ireland squad for the 2013 IRB Tbilisi Cup in June 2013. [19] He came off the bench in the sides 19–8 defeat at the hands of South Africa President's XV on 11 June 2013. [20] O'Callaghan started against Uruguay in Emerging Ireland's final game 42–33 win. [21]
Munster Rugby is one of the professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU's Munster Branch, which is responsible for rugby union throughout the Irish province of Munster. The team motto is "To the brave and faithful, nothing is impossible." This is derived from the motto of the MacCarthy clan – "Forti et Fideli nihil difficile". Their main home ground is Thomond Park, Limerick, though some games are played at Musgrave Park, Cork.
Donncha O'Callaghan is an Irish retired rugby union player. He spent most of his career with his home province Munster, spending 17 seasons with the province and winning five major trophies, before finishing his career with Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership. Internationally, O'Callaghan represented Ireland and was part of the team that won the Six Nations grand slam in 2009. He also toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2005 and 2009, winning 4 caps, and was invited the play for the Barbarians twice. Throughout his career, O'Callaghan played primarily as a lock, though he occasionally provided cover at blindside flanker.
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