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Ex-Saracens lock Dominic Day comes out of retirement in Ireland

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

Ex-Wales lock Dominic Day has come out of retirement in Ireland and is playing at grassroots level for Malahide nearly two years after he quit Saracens in November 2019 due to a knee injury in order to concentrate on business interests. It had been reported priot to that retirement that the forward would relocate to America and play some Major League Rugby with San Diego Legion.

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However, having instead opted to retire, he moved earlier this year to Dublin due to his marriage to Nadia Forde, the Irish model and singer who in 2014 participated in the 14th series of the hit British ITV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!”

Day, who earned three Welsh Test caps and played at the 2015 World Cup, spent six seasons at Scarlets before embarking on his travels, enjoying four seasons at Bath before adventures at Toyota Verblitz in Japan and the Rebels in Australia were rounded off by two-and-a-bit seasons at Saracens where he played his last match at home to Sale in the Premiership Cup on September 2019.

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When he retired two months later he posted: “After 15 years it’s finally time to hang up the boots. I have been lucky enough to have achieved more than I ever expected. I have played with some of the best in the world. I’m even luckier to have made some of the best and most loyal friends I could have hoped for. I want to thank my wonderful wife who has given up so much to follow me across the world and back.”

Now aged 36, the Pembroke-born second row, whose business interests include his cannabis oil company with partner George Kruis, has been tempted into putting the boots back on for Malahide, an All-Ireland League Division Two B team, and he made his debut in that tournament last Saturday away to Belfast Harlequins.  

North County Dublin is where Day now lives with Forde and he was approached by the local rugby club to see if wanted to get back playing at a very different level to what he had been used to. Malahide coach Brendan Guilfoyle told the Fingal Independent: “Dominic has settled in well and has been a great help to the younger members of our squad. He has made our pack stronger and we are delighted to have him.”

Day isn’t the first ex-international player to tog out for Malahide in the Irish league. Former Ireland tighthead Mike Ross linked up with the club following his retirement from Leinster in 2017, going on to play as well as coach the Dublin side.  

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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