It was supposed to be the dream ending for an Irish legend. But, instead, Rob Kearney will have to live to take off his boots another day after positive tests for COVID-19 have caused a late cancellation of the game between the Barbarians and Samoa. It would have been an emotional day for both Kearney, and the fans, who would have gotten their money’s worth as one of the greats of modern UK rugby took his bow. Instead they got some measure of entertainment on new online casino sites UK, while holding out hope for the marquee match.
The legendary Irish full-back was set to face Samoa as part of the invitational Barbarians side in Twickenham on Saturday for the Killick Cup, but a couple of positive COVID-19 tests in the Barbarians camp have derailed the contest. Meanwhile, the female team, set to play against South Africa, was pushed to later on the same day.
35-year old Kearney is the most decorated Irish player and had an illustrated career in Leinster, playing 219 games, winning six pro14 titles, a European Challenge Cup and four Heineken Cups. His last game for Leinster was in 2020 during the COVID-19-impacted season against Ulster at the Aviva stadium. The Irishman also played for the Australian side Western Force for a brief spell.
Kearney played for both the British and Irish Lions and the Irish National Team at the national level and was part of a dominant spell for UK rugby, winning four Six Nations titles in 95 appearances. He won the 2009 Six Nations, the Triple Crown, and the Grand Slam with the Irish national team. In 2010, Kearney missed almost a year due to injury, but that was his longest-ever spell from the game.
In what was supposed to be a return to normal around the sports world, COVID-19 continues to take away from the rugby season. In recent weeks, the ODI between South Africa and the Netherlands has been postponed, while the women’s World Cup qualification tournament in Zimbabwe was cancelled as a new variant of the virus rears its head.
It is unclear what the schedule will be for the Barbarians and if Kearney will have another game to say a proper goodbye, but surely something will be done to give the legend his due ovation.
Earlier in the week, the man himself had tweeted that he has no regrets leaving the game that had “given him so much”.
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