| Mostyn decides to hang up his boots after distinguished career |
|
| Written by Dan O' Shea | |
| Wednesday, 19 March 2008 | |
|
Former Ireland three quarter Matt Mostyn plans to bring the curtain down on a twelve-year career at the end of the current season. Mostyn, who represented Ireland at the 1999 World Cup, is one of only ten players to date to have reached the 100 cap milestone for Connacht but feels that the time is right to hang up his boots at the end of the current campaign. ![]() Matt Mostyn. "Every player knows when their time comes to call it a day", the six-times capped Irish winger said. "Although I'm still enjoying my rugby I just feel that my body is telling me I've had enough and it's time to move onto the next stage of my life." Mostyn, who joined Connacht in 1999 from French side, Begles Bordeaux, played his initial rugby with the New South Wales Waratahs but his career really took off under Warren Gatland at Connacht. "I was selected for Ireland A to play Italy A in the last of the 1998/99 Six Nations games. Following that match I was picked for the Irish team's summer tour of Australia and played my first test on that tour against Australia," he said. The Australian born Mostyn went on to represent the Irish team six times in total, the last of which was at the World Cup in 1999. "I really enjoyed my time playing for Ireland and it'll be something which I'll always treasure. I'm very proud to have represented Ireland in the 1999 World Cup and in friendlies against Australia and Argentina. My hat-trick against Argentina certainly was the highlight of my international career. Playing against Australia, my country of birth, brought some very mixed emotions for me and are some very special memories from my career which'll stay with me forever." Following the World Cup in 1999, Mostyn went on to join Newport during which he enjoyed his most consistent vein of form, scoring 50 tries in his 80 outings for the Welsh side. Mostyn rejoined Connacht in the 2003 season when Michael Bradley took charge of the side and was the first of six very talented players to return to the province for a second spell with the club. Connacht went on to have one of their most successful spells under Bradley in that 2003/04 season, as well as what Mostyn feels was the highlight of his time with Connacht over both spells with the side, the European Challenge Cup semi finals. Regarding the future, Mostyn plans on staying in Galway after his final rugby playing season finishes and has already made plans for life after rugby. "Ideally, I'd like to stay in Galway with my wife Renee for the foreseeable future. For the past six years I've been studying while I was working. I finished my degree in Journalism in 2005 and I'm currently half way through a post graduate in project management so those are areas I'd like to pursue a career in, when I hang up my boots at the end of the season." After a total of six seasons with and Connacht and 108 caps for the province as well as twelve in total playing professional rugby, Mostyn isn't finished yet. There are still six games left in the season for Connacht to put themselves in contention for a Heineken Cup place for the first time. "To get into the Heineken Cup has always been on the agenda while I've been with Connacht and if I could help them achieve that in my last few games I'd be absolutely delighted." |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|