So long D'Arce (?).. you total ledge.

[Girve4President]

Hi all, apologies for the impertinence of setting up a new thread as a noob (especially if this has been brought up already and I've missed it!). Just a thought that occurred to me today while reading over the team selection for tonight's friendly v Mosley. Hasn't D'Arce announced that he is retiring post world cup? If so then that would make tonight most likely his last game for Leinster. Can't make Donnybrook tonight due to family commitments, hope everyone there makes plenty of noise and lets that big slice of Wexford beef know how much he'll be missed! (wipes tear from eye)

[Donny B.]

Confirmed here that he's finished.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.2340428

Shame that with all the confusion re the World Cup squad that we didn't get to say a proper goodbye.

Despite that, he had a fantastic career. Thanks for everything Darce.

[fourthirtythree]

Thanks Darce. Pity we didn't get to say goodbye in the RDS. Amazing career, amazing achievements.

[riocard911]

Thanks for everything, D'Arce! You were - and are - MASSIVE!!! Good luck for the future.

[FrankBurke]

Thanks D'Arce. Great player and human being.

[COYBIB]

Fantastic player, absolute gent, gave everything for province and country and will be sorely missed.

The final departure of the dream team Leinster Galactico backline of Contepomi, Hickie, D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Horgan and Dempsey.

[joooooe]

That article in today's Irish Timesjust confirms what many of us knew: Gordon D'Arcy is a gentleman, a very astute businessman and in possession of an outlook on life that many could learn from.

I remember being baffled when he was selected at 12 with Horgan on the wing. The free-scoring full-back-cum-winger was being played as a Kevin Maggs-style battering ram! He made the role his own and in many ways reinvented the role of inside centre, a position that had become dominated by ever-bigger ball carriers. But he was a ball carrier, in open field, in heavy traffic or when turning an opposition centre inside out with his mesmerising footwork.

His footwork! What a privilege to have watched him sidestep into a soft shoulder and accelerate away, or to suddenly decelerate to ensure a seemingly-certain tackle resulted in the sort of pratfall we might associate with Laurel and Hardy. Speaking of great double acts, we will never see the likes of the magical apostrophes again; D'Arcy and O'Driscoll: the best we'll ever see.

Finally, I always felt that Flash missed his calling as an NFL running back; his "yards after contact" stats would have been off the chart!

Thank you, Gordon, and good luck in your future endeavours.

[Oldschool]

I remember seeing D'Arcy playing his first game for Leinster in Donnybrook.
It might have been against Ulster and Paddy Wallace was getting his first start too IIRC (???? - It was a long time ago tbf)
He was playing at FB and there was a lot of talk about him.
First high kick to him and he knocked it on.
So much for all the talk I said to myself.
Since then and without any doubt D'Arcy has proved himself to be one of the best Centres the world has ever seen.
And I think this would be true regardless of the fact that BOD was his sidekick.
Good luck to you Gordon D'Arcy in your post match career.

[rosscarrick]

I remember seeing D'Arcy playing his first game for Leinster in Donnybrook.
It might have been against Ulster and Paddy Wallace was getting his first start too IIRC (???? - It was a long time ago tbf)
He was playing at FB and there was a lot of talk about him.
First high kick too him and he knocked it on.
So much for all the talk I said to myself.
Since then and without any doubt D'Arcy has proved himself to be one of the best Centres the world has seen.
And I think this would be true regardless of the fact that BOD was his sidekick.
Good luck to you Gordon D'Arcy in your post match career.

Nice memory to have there (reminds me of Isa's first game in Donnybrook - he missed an open field tackle, I remember saying ah b*%&!x, the new FB cant tackle - nothing like jumping the gun).

Its a real pity we wont get a chance to give him a proper send off - one last standing ovation.

[All Blacks nil]

12 minutes into the next home match all stand up and chant

' There's only one Gordon Darcy '

[simonokeeffe]

12 minutes into the next home match all stand up and chant

' There's only one Gordon Darcy '

not a bad idea

[bronxbull]

I remember seeing D'Arcy playing his first game for Leinster in Donnybrook.
It might have been against Ulster and Paddy Wallace was getting his first start too IIRC (???? - It was a long time ago tbf)
He was playing at FB and there was a lot of talk about him.
First high kick too him and he knocked it on.
So much for all the talk I said to myself.
Since then and without any doubt D'Arcy has proved himself to be one of the best Centres the world has seen.
And I think this would be true regardless of the fact that BOD was his sidekick.
Good luck to you Gordon D'Arcy in your post match career.

Nice memory to have there (reminds me of Isa's first game in Donnybrook - he missed an open field tackle, I remember saying ah b*%&!x, the new FB cant tackle - nothing like jumping the gun).

Its a real pity we wont get a chance to give him a proper send off - one last standing ovation.

I was at Isa's first game in Donnybrook v Queensland...wasn't he playing out half that day?
I do remember thinking our new out half can't kick the ball!!
Again..who knew?

[olaf the fat]

Leinster and Ireland great.

His retirement brings to a close a fantastic era of Leinster rugby.

[bronxbull]

Truly outstanding player who will go down as one of the best we ever had.
D'Arcy's retirement does bring an end to a truly brilliant era of backline play that we were privileged to witness in Leinster.
We still have RK, Isa and JS on board from the latter part of that era but the originals have all moved on now.
Brilliant running from Shaggy, Denis,(Toulouse!!!) Doc Phil, Girve, and of course D'Arcy and O' Driscoll all complemented by such intelligent support from Gleeson and Jennings, lit up MANY a cold night in Donnybrook and the RDS.
That style of open running rugby may be a thing of the past but watching some of our backline travails recently it does make you yearn for a bit of the style the boys provided for so many years.

Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?

[offshorerules]

I met him on one occasion when I had young kids with me in a changing room after a swim. Obviously I was struggling to contain the little mites and even though he hadn't dressed himself he asked me if I needed a hand an duly took hold of the youngest (about 16 months old) and held on to him for me until I had the other fella dressed. I then met him after the semi-final in 2009 and he asked me how the kids were. Unbelievable that he remembered me. A very, very nice guy and what a player. Good luck Darce.

[riocard911]

There's still a chance we might yet get to see the great man for one last times in the blue jersey in the RDS....
http://www.the42.ie/gordon-darcy-irelan ... nt-4201007

[jezzer]

Jaysis, we have to get Darce out in a Leinster jersey one last time in some way shape or form.

Not to give him a proper farewell would be terrible.

[Muriel]

Himself and Jenno had a goodbye in the Laighin Out last season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHOrMu6Oxg8 (I hope this is right as YouTube is blocked in work)

[limecat]

Himself and Jenno had a goodbye in the Laighin Out last season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHOrMu6Oxg8 (I hope this is right as YouTube is blocked in work)

That's the one

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The send off on the pitch was fairly poor, would love if they could get a better one but can't imagine they'd want it and those things are always a bit awkward anyway.

Also if by some chance Darce checks in here I hope he realises that there was another thread with lots more praise than this one!