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With Connacht calling, Lloyd is intent on balancing rugby with medicine

The scrum-half took a year out of his studies with RCSI when taking up an offer from Ulster. But this time around, he is determined to do it all.

ANGUS LLOYD PUT everything on hold in hope of making a crust from rugby once before.

This time around, all systems will remain firmly set to go.

The 26-year-old will run out with Clontarf in Sunday’s All-Ireland League final at the Aviva Stadium, the culmination of what has been another terrific season for the scrum-half.

Angus Lloyd The scrum-half pictured at the Aviva Stadium ahead of Sunday's AIL final. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

For the second time in his career, Lloyd has managed to play his way into the professional ranks through his form at club level. Trinity provided the springboard for his first taste of provincial rugby – with Ulster and then a loan stint at Munster – midway through this season, he took a call from Andy Friend and has been working hard to balance a host of commitments since.

That work pales in comparison to his curricular interests, though, and he is looking forward with no little trepidation to upcoming exams in his penultimate year studying medicine.

Before finals next year he will have a full-time deal with Connacht and his time will be stretched even tighter. Yet he is grateful to Friend, Andy Wood in Clontarf and, crucially, the RCSI for allowing him to chase dual targets.

“It’s going to be tough,” says Lloyd with a grave expression, “when I went to RCSI with it I didn’t think they’d say yes.

“When Connacht first approached me at Christmas, Andy Friend rang me asking would I be keen. (I said): ‘yeah I’d be really keen, but I have to figure it out with college.’

If (RCSI) had said no, I wouldn’t have gone. From my experience of it last time, it’s just very fickle. So it wasn’t worth putting everything on the line, taking another year out of medicine, so I just want to get medicine done.”

“Connacht have been very flexible and so have RCSI, both of them have been amazing. It will be tough, but I think it’s doable.

He worked hard to fit himself in around any flexibility offered his way too. Lloyd signed with Connacht in December and found himself getting worrying close to the field at the RDS within mere days.

“I trained on the Thursday, for like an hour, and then travelled down praying Caolin Blade got through the warm-up,” he jokes.

Since then, he has plunged himself into a rhythm of training with Connacht until the matchday 23 is decided. If he was out, it was back to the RCSI, back training with Clontarf. Then play with the Bulls of a Saturday before often heading in to hospital as part of placement work.

Angus Lloyd dejected Lloyd in action against Cardiff Blues. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Next season, he hopes to have the majority of his hospital placements in Galway to at least keep the mileage down while he lends his skills to Connacht during the World Cup and beyond.

His previous year in the pro game brought him a full gamut of experience, from working alongside both Ruan Pienaar and Conor Murray, to seeing how quickly opportunities can come and go through sheer luck of fitness and availability.

He made it onto the European stage when Munster defeated Toulouse in the 2017 Champions Cup quarter-final. But with Murray injured, it stung to miss out on the semi-final against Saracens while Rassie Erasmus’ uncertain future loomed like a cloud.

“Duncan Williams was the only 9, they didn’t put one on the bench. I was devastated, I thought ‘this is it, it’s as big as it’s going to get!’

He has represented four clubs in the AIL (Ballynahinch and UL Bohs in addition to his Dublin clubs) and is not far short of representing all four provinces (having played with Leinster up through U19 level), so Lloyd has no qualms adapting to new situations and new calls. And while he admits he has been caught ‘shouting the wrong things’ at Castle Avenue training now and then, he has done more than enough to keep Andy Friend and Andy Wood impressed all campaign and earn another shot at provincial rugby.

“I thought I was good enough to do it. And was I going to get another look? I didn’t know.

“I was pretty content with sticking with medicine, but if the opportunity arose and everyone was flexible I’d definitely take it, which it has. I got a three-month contract off Connacht, went down and gave it a stab as best I could.

“Luckily enough I got something off the back of it.

“I have a good understanding of what it’s about now. All you can do is put  your best foot forward. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.

“Luckily I’ve got something else to fall back on afterwards.”

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    Mute Bungee Aky
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    May 9th 2019, 1:37 PM

    You liat the KO at 14:30…. isn’t it 15:00? I’m booked in for a full head of highlights at 1 and won’t make a half 2 kick off……

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    Mute Boo Radley
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    May 9th 2019, 1:41 PM

    @Bungee Aky: no it’s been changed to 2:30! You’d wanna tell the hairdresser to get a move on

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    Mute Bungee Aky
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    May 9th 2019, 1:46 PM

    @Boo Radley: you can’t rush perfection

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 9th 2019, 1:36 PM

    Anybody got an update on the Bill Johnston move to Ulster? Asking for a friend.

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    Mute Bungee Aky
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    May 9th 2019, 1:37 PM

    @Jim Demps: is your friend Rochelle?

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    May 9th 2019, 1:40 PM

    @Bungee Aky: don’t be silly Rochelle has no friends

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    May 9th 2019, 1:41 PM

    @Jim Demps: is it a case of use it or lose it.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 9th 2019, 1:44 PM

    @Chris Mc: I’m all for it, hope it’s happening. It’d be a great move for him, Ulster and for munster.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    May 9th 2019, 3:51 PM

    @Jim Demps: I’m not sure how it’s good for munster but he does need rugby at this stage.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 9th 2019, 5:12 PM

    @Chris Mc: no point in having a 28, 26, 23 and 22 year old all vying for the same position. If Johnston moves on we’ve got a good balance there. At the moment with carbery the same age as him Johnston isn’t going to be given a fair chance so a move will suit him. For munster they can break in Ben Healy and give him the exposure as a young talent. It’s too easy for people to look at Johnston and say he was never given a chance but you can’t ignore his injuries. Two dislocated shoulders and a broken leg for a 22 year old is an awful lot of injuries and it’s bound to slow down his progression. Van Graan has shown that he will give young talent the chance it needs and I’d expect that to continue.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    May 9th 2019, 7:25 PM

    @Jim Demps: fair enough.

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    Mute Andrew H
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    May 9th 2019, 7:54 PM

    @Jim Demps: ‘exposure as a young talent’

    When are you going to see what happens at Munster??

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 9th 2019, 8:39 PM

    @Andrew H: I see it every game I go to Andrew. I’ve seen wycherley, loughman, Shane Daly, Gavin Coombes, o Connor and more all excel. You’re just using Bill Johnston as a tired old excuse to beat munster with. Too easy to compare young lads to Ryan and larmour, once in a generation talents who have as much international as club games under their belt. Try comparing them to their peers, Conor o brien to goggin, josh Murphy to wycherley, abdaladze to loughman and the picture might be a bit clearer for you.

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    Mute Thomyk
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    May 9th 2019, 1:47 PM

    2:30pm? My ticket says 3pm

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    Mute Bungee Aky
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    May 9th 2019, 2:00 PM

    @Thomyk: game will be over by then and Munsters season finished.

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    Mute Thomyk
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    May 9th 2019, 2:05 PM

    @Bungee Aky: could be right there lad , win r lose it’s supporting them that matters

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    Mute Bungee Aky
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    May 9th 2019, 2:26 PM

    @Thomyk: naw, nothing beats winning, you just forgot that it’s been so long

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    Mute Thomyk
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    May 9th 2019, 2:31 PM

    @Bungee Aky: won last Saturday pal , and I’m fairly sure we won a few games this season to, so maybe your talking through your anus now ?

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    Mute mrbryanrussell
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    May 9th 2019, 3:19 PM

    Are you two done? Now up to your rooms and do your homework and leave your phones down.

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    Mute Bungee Aky
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    May 9th 2019, 3:22 PM

    @Thomyk: winning wars not battles

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    Mute Rory D
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    May 10th 2019, 2:30 AM

    @Bungee Aky: grow a brain

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    Mute mrbryanrussell
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    May 9th 2019, 3:01 PM

    Should be a belter and intimacy of the RDS for such a big game is again great as opposed to 3/4 full Aviva. Re KO info came out earlier for 2.30 KO on PRO14 Twitter

    “Semi-Final KO Update: @leinsterrugby v @Munsterrugby to kick off at 14:30 on Saturday May 18 – live on @eirSport & @PremierSportsTV
    #GuinnessPRO14”

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    Mute Eoin Murphy
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    May 9th 2019, 3:59 PM

    @mrbryanrussell: if lowe plays it could be a rout

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    Mute mrbryanrussell
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    May 9th 2019, 4:59 PM

    @Eoin Murphy: don’t think so, one thing is for certain let’s hope they don’t get sucked in like last time and focus on getting the job done. Should be a great match hopefully JVdF is back in the squad too as well as Joey

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    Mute sup
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    May 9th 2019, 9:02 PM

    Will be tough for Leinster. Either they’ll all be hungover after winning the European cup, or in a sad shitty mood with no desire to play.

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    Mute Richard James
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    May 9th 2019, 10:42 PM

    @sup: They’re highly motivated to do the double and if they lose to Saracens their determination will be even greater to win a trophy this season.

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