Former Italy fly-half Ian McKinley joins Gavin Andrews and Conor Murray on the latest episode of BBC Sport NI’s Ireland Rugby Social.
A former Ireland under-20 international who came through the Leinster academy, McKinley earned nine caps for the Azzurri despite losing sight in his left eye in an accident while playing for University College Dublin (UCD) in 2010.
The Dubliner was initially forced to retire in 2011 aged 21, but he returned to playing with the help of protective goggles in 2014 and played for Italy in the 2019 Six Nations.
McKinley retired for the second time in 2021 after stints with Leonorso, Viadana, Zebre and Benetton.
“You think of so many freak injuries that happen, it just happened to be a piece of metal (a stud) and an eye,” reflected McKinley.
“When you’re on a rugby field, things happen in a split-second. If I go into the detail, I was in a ruck. I was illegal and trying to rip the ball off someone on the ground. Classic out-half thing.
“I went for the rip and found myself on my back. In that second I just got a kick, a thud. I thought it was deliberate because it was a straight-down action. Thank God it wasn’t because you’re getting into murkier waters if that’s the case.
“But it’s one of those things. If I wasn’t able to get back playing the second time, I’d probably be a lot grumpier as a person and perhaps wouldn’t applaud guys as much, or be more critical of players.
“Thankfully that’s not the case.”
