Ian Keatley: ‘Head over heart decision has me where I am now’

When Ian Keatley headed west from Dublin to join Connacht he was leaving some of his best rugby friends behind, Ireland’s juggernaut prop forward Cian Healy amongst them.

But it was a well planned move by the now Munster and Irish outhalf. He could see no bright future for him in Leinster after a couple of years in their academy, despite playing for Ireland U18s and U20s and featuring in a rare U20 Grand Slam.

“Leinster were talking about giving me a contract based on Felipe Contepomi whenever he retired but then they also brought in Isa Nacewa,” he said. “You also had Johnny Sexton in the mix, so I figured if Felipe didn’t leave that I would be left out on a limb, in the wilderness.