John Hayes - Last game for Munster

Next Monday marks the final phase of the quiet giant from Cappamores rugby career. He has had 100+ caps for Ireland and played 100 heineken cup games for Munster. He has been an ever present in the Irish team since 2000 and his debut.

If ever there was a gentleman of rugby The Bull epitomises all that is good about sportsmen and the sport we love.

Never the greatest of scrummagers and pilloried by many yet he has been the cornerstone of Munsters heineken cup odyssey and has two winners medals to his name. For Ireland he has been one of the most influential players for us because despite his deficiencies as a scrummager we would have been f..... without him and it culminated in the Grand Slam win in 2009.

A great player for Ireland and Munster...

A genuine legend. The word cannot say enough.

Go on Bull. Its your Field!!!

Well said

Absolutely agree DOD. Hayes is a legend and embodies everything that is great about rugby union.

He's put his huge body on the line for Munster and Ireland so many times...the Lions too.

He's been a real unsung hero and has played a massive role in the success in Irish rugby over the past decade. Never the best scrummager but he made up for it, and then some, in other ways...was there ever a better lifter in the lineout?

He's been an amazing servant to Irish rugby and I hope he enjoys his well deserved retirement.

Its an end of an era

World Class line-out lifter

John Hayes

Munster and Ireland to the core, Bull Hayes

Ledge

Certainly the end of an era. The BULL is already a legend but can you imagine the stories that will be told in the decades to come. And people claiming they saw him play his last game when they were 8,9 or 10...and the truth coming out that they were only born in January 2012.

Oh the stories. He did what he did and in his own way he was every bit as essential to the success of Irish sides as Brian O'Driscoll has been. In essence he was the only man who could effectively do the job required of him - thus the lingering as he good naturedly hung around for Munster until they were as ready as they can be to say goodbye.

Some will question the 'legendary' status and bring up his limitations and tell you he's not amongst the greats. Legends don't have to fill out CVs, they simply grow in time. The BULL has a head start.

SecretFly wrote: He did what he did and in his own way he was every bit as essential to the success of Irish sides as Brian O'Driscoll has been.

+ 1.... that says it all really.

Would have loved to have said goodbye at Ravenhill but quite understandable why he has choosen this match

A true gent

Mind you with the new rules coming in and only a returning Buckley, Borlase or Archer as alternativies he may get a call in a couple of years

Never forget the time he put ROG In the recovery position after he went unconscious against Scotland. Love the Bull. Legend is bandied about too often, but can wear it well.

SafeAsMilk wrote:World Class line-out lifter

I was going to post this ^

Great servant to the game, but one of those players that showed the lack of depth in the position rather than how good he was at it.

Gwan de Bull tis your field !
Ligind

As has been said before, a true gent & thoroughly commited to whatever cause he is pitched into. 100+ Ireland Caps & 100+ HEC Caps say it all really.

And for all the accusations of scrummaging deficiency, he was the ONLY Irish player from the 2007 RWC who walked away with an enhanced reputation and his contribution not in question. In that tournament we played three of the 5 best scrums at the time and the scrum was no weakness. That says it all in my eyes.

A hero; a champion; a winner.

Enjoy your days that follow, Bull. Legend.

BlueMuff wrote:Gwan de Bull tis your field !

He spent enough time chewing the turf alright.

He liked Welsh turf

A great player and servent ot Ireland. He may bot have been the best scrummager but there wasn't ever really a game where he was massacred in the scrum. Thanks Bull, enjoy the farming!

Hey Chunky if you keep trying you might get a bite...stick to the rarebit and leek soup...

Don't feed the trolls DOD ......

Its Christmas even the trolls should be fed...

Don't feed the mafter minute in case of a Gremlins type situation.

A fine man and a decent player, who played with a lot of heart. Here's to a well-earned retirement.

Theres not much I can add to want people have said, just that he was one of the best professionals to ever grace the game. Most hold the record for the most matchs in which he was man of the match in but was never given the award.

True Legend of the game, GWAN DE BULL

Interview with Keith Wood....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EGfPoTklGg&feature=related

An article on Hayes

He was okay.

I love John Hayes. The man was a phenomenal player. If only for his physical fitness and resilience he was amazing. Coming to the game at 19, starting every international in the 6 nations for 10 years. Lifting by himself in lineouts. Almost always cool and reliable. Brilliant player.

True legend and a true gent.

My brother and I had the good fortune of meeting him at a farm open day in Fermoy a few years ago. There was no doubt that he was a farmer first and rugby player second.
By all accounts it was he that ran the defensive lineout for both Ireland and Munster. On the club scene Munster and London Irish probably had the best defensive lineouts in europe whilst at international level Ireland were probably second only to SA, this was in no little way due to Hayes.
Often thrashed for his scrummaging, he won 2 HEC's, 3 celtic leagues, 4 Triple crowns and 1 GS. He was selected for 2 lions tours and was capped by the Lions twice... That's an impressive career!!

Its been a pleasure to support the teams in which he has played - I wish him all the best in the future.

The Bull has left the china shop. And instead of destroying it he has protected it since he first started for Munster way back in 1998.

Going to really miss him. No matter how hard he tried to stay out of the limelight, he was just too big a figure to ever leave our sights.

Goodbye John and thank you so much for serving Munster and Irish rugby with such a strong heart and effort.

Not just his last game, but his last start (proper order, he deserves a standing ovation when he comes off)

Munster : S Scanlon; L O'Dea, K Earls, D Barnes, S Zebo; I Keatley, T O'Leary; M Horan, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll capt; B Holland, N Ronan, P Butler. Replacements : S Henry, D Kilcoyne, BJ Botha, I Nagle, J Coughlan, D Williams, S Deasy, T Gleeson.

Connacht : G Duffy (capt); F Vainikolo, E Griffin, D McSharry, T O'Halloran; N O'Connor, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney; G Naoupu, M McCarthy; D Gannon, J O'Connor, J Muldoon. Replacements : A Flavin, D Rogers,R Ah You, M Kearney, E McKeon, P O'Donohoe, M Jarvis, K Tonetti

Hayes brings the average age of that team up a fair bit!

Thomond wrote:Hayes brings the average age of that team up a fair bit!

Not with MOD and DOC in the team. Have got a dispensation for today and heading up to limerick later. Couldn't miss the Bulls last match

Good stuff DOD. Long live the Bull, he will be gone but never ever forgotten.

I know thomond. I remember when he started as a second row. A complete gentleman

Say goodbye to the Big Man for me DOD. The man has a heart as big as a Ox. Always liked him. Even if I called for him to retire internationally long before Kidney let him. He never let his country of club down. He is a gentleman to boot. Will we ever see his like again? I think not.

Enjoy it down down on the Farm Big John. And thanks for the memories. Im leaving the only picture I ever had of a Munster player on my Rugby Wall of Fame. He's holding the Triple Crown and 6-N trophies in his hands. That huge smile of inner-satisfaction would melt any hardened rugby fan.

John The Bull Hayes. Munster and Irish legend, will leave rugby with his head held very high.

Believe.

Probably the most deserved standing ovation I've ever seen at a rugby match. I'm glad I was there to say goodbye.

Truly the end of an era...

Munster's loss is Bruff's gain.
He has said he will probably coach the kids in the club after taking a well earned rest.

Good on you Bull

Enjoy your retirement

could he actually lift by himself? Christ
A true legend of the game, dedicated and hard working