Boost for Munster as Halvey returns
Halvey was head-hunted by the province following the unfortunate injury to David Wallace, which will keep the Garryowen flanker sidelined for six months. Munster, after delicate negotiations with the player and London Irish director of rugby Conor O’Shea, have managed to resign Halvey on a two-year contract. “The job is done. I am on my way home and I am very pleased. I really enjoyed my time with London Irish and I am very grateful that they agreed to allow me move back to Ireland.”
The admiration between Halvey and London Irish is mutual. O’Shea admitted yesterday: “Eddie has been fantastic for this club and we would deeply regret losing a player of his calibre.”
Halvey, 32, joined London Irish in July 2000 and has since made 48 appearances scoring nine tries.
Conor O’Shea, the London Irish Director of Rugby said “We are sorry to lose Eddie, he has made a great contribution to the club both on and off the pitch. Given the opportunity that has arisen for Eddie it would be wrong for us to stand in the way of his wishes. We thank him for his service and wish him well in continuing his playing career with Munster.” The Munster team manager Jerry Holland said: “Eddie is a quality player. He is well known to Munster supporters and I’m sure they will join with me in welcoming him back into the Munster squad. He is a versatile player whose presence will make the competition for a place in the forwards all the keener. “
Halvey had one year left to run on his London Irish contract and, though very happy in Sunbury, said a two-year deal was more beneficial to him in the long run. He obviously wanted to push his career, timewise, to the limit.
“I only went fully professional when I joined London Irish. It was a tough transformation originally but now I don’t want to retire. Munster gave me the chance to play professionally for at least another two years and that was a great opportunity.”
Halvey will join up with his Munster colleagues, most if not all of whom he has played with in the past, next week.
The speculation is that he will not lose any money by transferring to Ireland. Munster have, apparently, been happy to match the wages he was earning in London, but those wages have not been disclosed. Halvey won eight caps for Ireland, his first against France in 1994. He was also a member of the Irish squad to participate in the World Cup in South Africa the following year and scored two tries in that tournament. His first Munster cap came in 1994 and he went on to become a regular in the team over the next seven seasons, culminating in an appearance in the Heineken Cup final against Northampton in Twickenham in 2000. His first taste of fully fledged professional came later that year when he signed for London Irish by Dick Best, a man who recognised Halvey’s talent and potential. It was a tough induction to full time rugby, but whilst Best was eventually sacked by the club, Halvey continued to prosper under new coach Brendan Venter.
He was party to the greatest moment in the history of the London Irish club when the Exiles won the Powergen English Cup in May of this year. It was achieved by beating Northampton in the final and ironically Northampton had earlier denied Halvey of a European Cup medal. In the week leading up to the final, Halvey inspired his London Irish team colleagues by making clear he was not prepared to lose to Northampton in a major final for the second time.
Amongst the players, the joke at the time was that they were playing for him and not for any club!
Halvey’s negotiations are believed to have been mainly with Munster team manager Jerry Holland, but he has also spoken to new coach Alan Gaffney. The player is impressed with Gaffney’s credentials and is looking forward to another new challenge.
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