Dan Leavy retires

[Flash Gordon]

Would have been a shoe in for the Lions and one of Ireland's greatest ever back row forwards. A real privilege to watch him play.

[Avenger]

A sad day indeed. Unplayable at his best. We'll always have that 2018 season... great memories.
Best of luck in whatever you do in the future Dan.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Awful to hear this. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as bad after a game I didn’t play myself as after that Ulster game and didn’t think he’d make it back.

You never quite know how an injury will hold up but I was seriously impressed with some of the performances he put in since returning and was hopeful he’d have a better end than this. Amazing effort to get back at all and a brilliant attitude from start to finish.

Thankfully he managed to fit an awful lot into his career. He’ll always be a grand slam and champions cup winner and played such a big role in both. He had an amazing ability to come up with a big moment when you needed it most and could do it at the very highest level, takes a special player to be able to do that.

Thanks for so many great days Dan

[hugonaut]

Here's some highlights of Leavy bashing everyone, monstering a load of Saracens, winning turnovers, throwing offloads and scoring tries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YSZmic9h3c

[wixfjord]

That's awful news on Dan. A proper generational player who never got the chance to reach his prime. The actual statement itself is heartbreaking.

[LeinsterLeader]

Let’s not turn this thread into a who did what to who argument lads. Not the time. Let’s remember the good times.

The pop pass from JR to Leavy back inside, for Dan to run under the posts, at the Aviva Vs Sarries will always be one of the highlights of my life.

[RoboProp]

Here's some highlights of Leavy bashing everyone, monstering a load of Saracens, winning turnovers, throwing offloads and scoring tries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YSZmic9h3c

Thanks for that Hugo, class highlight reel. I was hoping it would include this ridiculous one handed catch, it was Odell Beckham Jr like, on the touch-line that he had no right to make, and then he sauntered off on another rampaging run. The sheer natural athleticism of Leavy was uncoachable. Total talent

[jezzer]

The infamous leg snag against Clermont got spotted and pinged but it was a very crafty bit of play that nearly got us right back in the contest in Lyon. Dan kinda had a nose for what needed to be done.

A very rare mix of a player who read the game extraordinarily well but also was an absolute tyro and leader by energy and example.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Let’s not turn this thread into a who did what to who argument lads. Not the time. Let’s remember the good times.

The pop pass from JR to Leavy back inside, for Dan to run under the posts, at the Aviva Vs Sarries will always be one of the highlights of my life.

A brilliant try finished off with one of the worst dives in rugby history!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The infamous leg snag against Clermont got spotted and pinged but it was a very crafty bit of play that nearly got us right back in the contest in Lyon. Dan kinda had a nose for what needed to be done.

A very rare mix of a player who read the game extraordinarily well but also was an absolute tyro and leader by energy and example.

Yeah and I honestly think that if he’d been fit for the World Cup then he would have produced enough big moments for us to beat Japan and then we’d have had SA in the quarter final. I know they won it but they played some pretty awful stuff before the final and as bad as we were at the time we wouldn’t have been beaten out the gate like against NZ.

[glenageary]

you will never be forgotten - a short but glittering career, some medal haul - well done and thanks for all the memories

[TMC]

Such a shame, absolutely savage player, he never took a backward step & had loads more to give. The lobsided grin after going through some poor sod will be missed.
Best of luck to him in his new venture and the next stage of his life

[desperado]

One of the greats; even in such a short timeframe he delivered so much. Such a pity for Dan and us as fans that his career has been cut short. Never realised in 11 outings he was never on a losing Ireland side. A very dignified statement from Dan. Wishing him the best in the future; and looking after you're long term health ultimately is the number 1 priority.

[Theleinsterlad]

Everytime he got back on the pitch I truly hoped he had done the impossible and would get back to himself following that horrific injury. The strength of the man not only In physicality but also mentality to do what he’s done these last few years to get even close the being back is the full measure of the guy and the immense lose we all feel today that we won’t get to see him on the pitch again.

I feel like we have just lost a final with the Pitt that’s in my stomach right now. Agree with previous poster will buy a bottle of his whiskey as a support to his fight to play of us again

[backrower8]

A sad day.

It was amazing that he was able to make it back on to the pitch at all after that catastrophic injury - it shows what a phenomenal competitor he is.

I remember sitting down with my older brother to watch the Senior Cup Final when Leavy was St Michael's captain. He was getting a load of hype throughout their campaign and the two of us were laughing our asses off about the extent of it, having not seen him play. Halfway through that match, we were converts! "Holy smokes, how good is this lad Leavy? Better than Barry Gibney-Captain?"

Of course, that was only a precursor to what he achieved as a pro. His 2016-17 season was outstanding - he got on the pitch so much, and he was everywhere, doing everything. A natural-born rugby player. And then he stepped it up again the following season! Grand Slam champion, Six Nations medallist, European champion and league winner, central to all those victories.

Can't say enough about him – a natural rugby player, ferocious competitor, tough b$&%@#d and characterful leader. Huge respect for him.

A fantastic summation.

[OTT]

What a damn fine player. He was one of those standard bearers we all hear about who defines how good a group can be. Whatever the match, whatever the competition he was always going to be on it because that was how he played the game and would drag those around him with him. He achieved so much and contributed giving us all so many great days yet it still feels so sad that he didn’t get to have the career he deserved, by all accounts he shouldn’t have made it back from the injury but testament to the man that he did.

As a Leinster supporter you just know that he would have ended up with a Legend teeshirt if things went to plan and while it’s not a medal or of great value I think the idea that hundreds and thousands of people who all have conflicting views on almost everything (like on here for example) we can all agree on a few things. It’s a touching thing.

Thanks Dan, no doubt you will be a success at whatever you turn your hand to next, brilliant player, brilliant character.

[Experimental]

Gutted to hear the news, Dan in his short time was without a doubt one of our best players ever we would not have won the 2018 grand slam or the series victory in Australia without him. Will be truly truly missed in blue and green. Thanks for all the great times.

[riocard911]

Terrible news. We kind of all suspected after that dreadful injury, that it was unlikely he'd ever get over it completely. Sad for this suspicion now to be confirmed. Dan Leavy was a very courageous rugby player - an automatic first pick, if you needed someone you could rely on "in the trenches". Good luck to him, whatever he does, and thanks for everything.

[Caliphi]

Very sad but seemingly inevitable announcement. For his own sake - he has to live with that knee forever - I feel he has made the correct decision. Someone above compared him to Pocock. I would have said McCaw.

[riocard911]

Here's some highlights of Leavy bashing everyone, monstering a load of Saracens, winning turnovers, throwing offloads and scoring tries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YSZmic9h3c

Thanks, Hugo. Yeah, the one-man counterruck vs Sarries was amazing!. Ditto when he came off the bench when we were seemingly dead in the water vs Connacht in the RDS and unbelievably turned the thing around. Fantastic memories!!!!