Adam McKendry reports from Port Elizabeth
ON A COLD Friday night in Cardiff in November 2010, a fresh faced young winger made people sit up and notice with two tries on his Ulster debut.
Seven years later, he sits baking in the heat of Port Elizabeth ready to make his 150th cap for his province, and is no less excited to be pulling on the white jersey.
“I’m delighted, I’ve been sitting on 149 for about five or six months so it’s good to finally get it!” Craig Gilroy laughs.
I had that stint out where I was injured, had to do a lot of rehab to get back, but it’s great to finally be back and it’s an added bonus I can mark it with the milestone of my 150th.”
The 26-year old has packed into a short career what many in their lives won’t, from making that immediate impact in the Cardiff City Stadium right the way up to the present day.
He’s been in and out of the Ulster team, as well as making fleeting appearances for Ireland, including his international debut in 2012 against Argentina.
He’s made ten appearances in the green jersey, to go with his 149 for Ulster, scoring five tries to add to the 48 he’s scored at club level.
In fact, November will prove to be a monumental month for the former Methody pupil – not only is it the month he made his debut and will hit the 150 mark, it’s also the month he faced the Pumas at the Aviva Stadium on his international bow.
This 150th, however, has been a long time coming. He was due to get it on the opening day of the season, only for a horribly timed back injury cruelly ruling him out for the opening nine weeks.
The worst thing for me was the pre-season we had was probably one of the most enjoyable pre-seasons I’ve had with Ulster in my tenure,” he recalls. “I felt I was in the best shape in terms of fitness.
“Then to be sidelined for nine weeks it was kind of frustrating, but I kept myself busy and stayed positive during training and my rehab.
“I just kept ticking over, and the most important thing was to get myself right and be able to play again. Fortunately that happened and now we’re here.”
Here would be an historic trip to Port Elizabeth and the Isaac Wolfson Stadium to take on the Southern Kings in their latest Guinness Pro14 clash, with the tourists needing a big win following defeats to Leinster and La Rochelle.
It seems like this would be the perfect game to do so then. The Kings aren’t exactly quality opposition, with a record of seven losses, zero wins and zero points in the league so far.
They prop up Conference B of the Pro14 and their dire form serves as a stark contrast to the surging Cheetahs, who are in the play-off spots in Conference A. Add in dwindling attendances, and the future seems bleak for Deon Davids’ side.
But many unknowns surround this game, none more so than the new venue located in the township of Kwazakhele to the north of the city, the 6,000 capacity stadium a far cry from the Kings’ usual home of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The move has been dressed up as bringing rugby to the wider community in Port Elizabeth, but an attempt to boost footfall to the games is more than likely also a reason for the switch with Kings’ chiefs expecting a much improved attendance today.
On top of that a heatwave has seared through the city this week, raising temperatures to a staggering 33 for yesterday’s captain’s run, with the humidity expected to stay high for today’s game.
Regardless, Gilroy is focused on the opposition and believes that as long as Ulster focus on getting their own game right then they can end the mini-tour on a high.
“We’ve had a good look at them and they have a lot of speed in their team, and they don’t kick much,” the winger explains.
“They’ll be unpredictable, and it’s an unpredictable place to play. So we’ll see, if we get our detail right and do what we have to do then the points will take care of themselves.”
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Imagine the howls of outrage and the screams of “Waaayyyycism!” on the journal if the situation was reversed!
But this is racism but not in the right way so no one will talk about it, no one likes to talk about racism against white people.
An everyday example of the double standards that exist with race relations.
I couldn’t possibly say whether Mike Tyson is racist – he may be, he may not be – but what I can say is that if this story was reversed, the Journal’s house woollies (regular readers know who they are) would have been all over this story like a rash. As it is they’re conspicuous in their absence.
Well including this thread there are currently 5 of the 14 comments on this page alluding to the fact that his remark was racist, that’s 36% of the comments on the page. Considering the guys other flaws that’s a pretty good hit rate.
So what if he’s a rapist, he was a damn good boxer.
*racist* Bloody auto correct.
Spike Lee is an overt racist yet he gets away with it even being nominated for Academy Awards.
Why is this animal kept in the spot light. He’s a convicted rapist and has done his sport no favours in bitting his opponents. He also feels it’s appropriate to call someone a “white motherf***er”. If he was called a black motherf***er it would be racist. He’s been in films, had huge air time on TV and Radio, it just doesn’t make sense. Can we not cut this guy loose and find decent people in the world to fill the role he’s occupying.
You can analyse and criticize till the cows come home but there’s only one conclusion you can arrive at.
Mike Tyson had no choice but to become Mike Tyson.
He was a boxer. A ruthless fighting machine. A man in a brutal sport trying to survive.
He was born for the ring.
And that makes raping ok then? Seriously we all have a huge part to play in who we become. External factors influence but not decide who we want to be.
Polarising characters be it positive or negative will always fascinate people, the media and of course people that can make money off their back.
Looking for Doug……
Role models must be petty thin on the ground these days
Why is this bullying rapist still being glorified today???
Cause he is awesome
So you think rape is awesome??? You pathetic fool
Mind your ears son mike is hungry …….
Mike Tyson’s Autobiography is a great read but it can easily be summarised in three words: Boxing, women, cocaine.
Don’t forget , rape.
He should be still in prison how he is allowed into Europe never mind Ireland baffles me because he is a convicted sex offender.
relax he’s not racist sure he was practically adopted by white folks. it’s just how them brooklyn boys talk.
Sun Kil Moon’s ‘Ghosts of the Great Highway’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjA3EbKsl4E&list=PL9C56160C8E63F654
One of the best albums of the last ten years.
Pays tribute to some boxing legends who died too young. Particularly poignant is Duk Koo Kim died in the ring against Ray Mancini, trying to haul himself to his feet with his last breath.
Changed the sport forever.
Well worth a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBBqLPUxddc
A black man cannot be racist