Munster's most capped player Stephen Archer to retire this summer
's most capped player Stephen Archer announced on Wednesday that he will retire from professional rugby in the summer after a record-breaking career that has seen him make over 300 appearances for the province.
He is the only player ever to have hit the 300-cap landmark and also earned two Ireland caps over an 18-year association with the province since the tighthead prop joined the Munster Academy in 2007
Announcing the news, Archer said: 'Growing up, my family were huge Munster supporters and I was lucky enough to be brought to lots of games when I was younger.
'When I made my first Munster appearance in 2009, it was a dream come through. To still be playing 16 years on as Munster's most-capped player is fairly surreal and something I'm very proud of.
READ MORE
'After winning the first league in 2011, I didn't think it was going to be 12 years before we won it again in 2023. That made it more special in many ways, winning it again in Cape Town after all the near misses.
'Playing for Ireland was a huge honour and something I will always remember as a standout moment in my career.
'In all the Munster dressingrooms I've been a part of, there has always been a great bond between the players. I used to enjoy having the craic with the older players when I came in and now I'm the older player having the craic with the younger fellas. That's always been the way in Munster.
'The most enjoyable part has been sitting in the dressingroom after a big performance where everyone has given it their all and you're all together as a team.
'That team bond is what I will miss most. The Saturday is when it counts but it doesn't just happen on Saturday – it's the week's work and the team bond that you build with everyone rowing in the same direction.
'I've shared the dressingroom with special team-mates and we've had some of the world's best coaches – I have a lot to thank them for.
'I'd like to thank my parents and siblings for their support and encouragement over the years.
'I'd also like to thank the Munster supporters, I think the majority appreciate my effort and work ethic and I'm grateful to them for that.
'Most importantly, I'd like to give a massive thanks to my wife Kelly, she has sacrificed a lot to allow me concentrate on rugby for all these years and that is something I will always be grateful for.'
The 37-year-old Cork man made his Munster debut almost 16 years ago against Edinburgh in October 2009 after coming up through the ranks at Cork Constitution, CBC and UCC.
He was an All-Ireland League winner with Cork Con in 2010 and moved up to the Munster senior squad later that year, helping the province to the Celtic League title in 2011.
He made the first of his 61 Champions Cup appearances against Castres at Thomond Park in January 2012 and won the British & Irish Cup with Munster A later that year.
His first senior Ireland cap came as a replacement against Italy in the 2013 Six Nations in Rome.
Archer became Munster's most-capped player of all time against Leinster in November 2023, eclipsing Donncha O'Callaghan's record of 268.
This year's Champions Cup quarter-final against Bordeaux Bègles saw Archer become the first player to reach the 300-cap landmark, a record that may never be surpassed.
Munster head of rugby operations and interim head coach Ian Costello said: 'Archie has made a massive contribution to the province since joining the Academy in 2007 and is a hugely popular member of the squad.
'To have enjoyed such longevity in the game and played so many games for Munster shows his quality as a player but also his dedication, perseverance and character as a person.
'We are delighted that he's going out on his own terms and to have reached the 300-cap landmark is an incredible achievement that may never be matched.
'He has had brilliant support from his family and I'm sure everyone at Cork Constitution, CBC and UCC are very proud of his achievements in the game.
'We'll miss Archie but wish him, his wife Kelly and all his family the very best for the future.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
29 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Road bowling: Kelly Mallon underlines class with 12th All-Ireland senior title
Kelly Mallon captured her 12th All-Ireland senior bowling title with a consummate performance against Munster champion, Hannah Sexton, at Keady-Tassagh on Sunday. No superlatives could begin to capture Mallon's unique achievements. She has not only amassed a collection of All-Ireland senior titles that is never likely to be matched, but she has delivered them at a level that equally looks unattainable. She is not only the best bowler of her generation, she is indisputably the best Irish woman bowler of any generation. Sexton would have needed everything to align to take down Mallon. She was marginally off on a few shots and luck was not always her friend. She mounted a strong challenge, but the tiny margins turn into chasms when you take on Mallon. Her younger sister, Laura, garnered some solace for the family and Munster fans when she beat Jessica Hughes in the junior final. This was a close affair in the early stages. Sexton pushed clear in the middle and was two in front with two to go. Hughes then got a magical second last bowl around the last corner to bring the lead back to a bowl. In the senior final, Mallon's opening shot was well right of the sop, but it got a vital run up the hill. Sexton only beat that by 3m with a great reply. Mallon then played an absolutely brilliant bowl up the hill to the silver gate, which gave her close to a bowl of odds. Sexton cut the odds with a brilliant fourth shot and was a shade unlucky not to go out Twynam's with her fifth. Mallon punished her with a perfect bowl past the bend to go almost a bowl clear. She had luck when her next one came off the right bank and it went into the hollow to put her a full bowl in front. She followed with two extraordinary bowls to the creamery lane to jump two bowls clear. Sexton refused to accept defeat, in the face of some sensational throws from Mallon. She managed to get the lead under two with her great 13th shot to McCann's. That was as close as she came. The rest of the contest featured on the winning margin, which Mallon won that too with a great bowl to the creamery stand. In the junior final, Laura Sexton opened with a big bowl. Jessica Hughes completely misplayed her first one, but recovered to win the lead with her second shot. Sexton won the next two, but a huge fifth bowl towards the creamery lane had Hughes back in front. Sexton regained the lead with her next one and raised a bowl with a great eighth shot towards Gallogly's. They battled over those odds till Sexton edged close to two clear with a great 12th shot towards the bus shelter. She was given a late scare by Hughes' excellent bowl out the last bend, but she professionally deflected it.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Horisk and Muldoon goals vital as Tyrone secure Ladies All-Ireland intermediate title
Ladies All-Ireland IFC final: Tyrone 2-16 Laois 1-13 Goals in either half from Aoife Horisk and Katie Rose Muldoon proved pivotal as Tyrone edged out Laois by six points to capture the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football final at Croke Park. Having succumbed narrowly to Leitrim in last year's decider, it was Tyrone's turn to celebrate on the biggest day of the year as they finished the contest strongly to deservedly secure the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup for the first time since their sole success in 2018. Tyrone enjoyed a 1-7 to 1-5 interval lead with Horisk's 27th minute goal cancelling out an equally superb finish from Laois' Shifra Havill four minutes previously. There was little to separate the teams throughout a nervy second half but the decisive moment arrived in the 54th minute as Muldoon left Laois goalkeeper Eimear Barry helpless with a shot from close range. It was Tyrone that seized the early initiative through points from Sorcha Gormley and Cara McCrossan before Laois struck back to level parity by the fourth minute courtesy of scores from Jane Moore and Emma Lawlor. Lawlor edged Laois in front in the seventh minute, immediately after their corner-back Faye McEvoy had produced a superb goal line clearance at the opposite end, with parity restored soon after through a Niamh O'Neill free. Parity continued as Emily Lacey and Aoife Horisk (free) traded points by the end of the first quarter with the Ulster county re-establishing their two-point advantage thanks to Sláine McCarroll and the lively Gormley. Niamh O'Neill's seven points proved crucial for Tyrone. Picture: Leah Scholes/Inpho However, their inaccuracy up front undermined their general control as O'Neill placed her shot too close to Eimear Barry in the 22nd minute and that profligacy was punished in an instant as Lawlor worked well in releasing Havill for an emphatic finish to the roof of Amelia Coyle's net. Frustration continued for Tyrone in the 26th minute as Gormley was denied from the penalty spot following a foul on Horisk but the latter made no mistake a minute later as she drilled home from ten yards to edge her side two points clear by half-time. Laois wasted little time in getting back on level terms as Mo Nerney and Fiona Dooley both scored within three minutes of the restart. Crucially, Laois were unable to get in front as this time as O'Neill (free) and Horisk responded for Tyrone, with the latter becoming increasingly influential as the contest evolved. The same could be said for Nerney, who added two points in quick succession to bring Laois to within a point by the 43rd minute. However, their momentum stalled ten minutes from time as Ciara Crowley was yellow-carded and O'Neill's subsequent free helped double Tyrone's advantage. The contest was effectively settled as Muldoon followed up well to net after fellow substitute Emer McCanny had been denied and they pulled away by the final whistle thanks to insurance points from O'Neill, Gormley and captain Aoibhinn McHugh. Scorers for Tyrone: N O'Neill 0-7 (3f), A Horisk 1-3 (0-1f), S Gormley 0-3, K Muldoon 1-0, A McHugh, S McCarroll, C McCrossan 0-1 each. Scorers for Laois: E Lawlor (3f), M Nerney (3f) 0-5 each, S Havill 1-0, F Dooley, J Moore, E Lacey 0-1 each. TYRONE: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Campbell, M Mallon, C Canavan; A McHugh, S McCarroll; E McNamee, S Gormley, A Horisk; N O'Neill, C McCrossan, M Corrigan. Subs: E McCanny for McCrossan (36), K Muldoon for McNamee (45), A McGahan for Campbell (53), C McCaffrey for O'Neill (58), J Barrett for Horisk (59). LAOIS: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, F McEvoy; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran; F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill, E Galvin, C Crowley; E Lacey, E Lawlor, M Nerney. Subs: L Kearney for Gorman (39), M Cotter for McEvoy (45), K Donoghue for Lacey (47), A Fitzpatrick for Havill (56). Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Lando Norris cuts Oscar Piastri's lead with Hungarian GP success
Lando Norris held off a thrilling late charge from Oscar Piastri to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and reduce his world championship rival's lead to nine points. Norris was running in fourth place but benefited from stopping for tyres one fewer time than his rivals to land his fifth victory of the season. The British driver took the chequered flag just six tenths ahead of Piastri, who went within centimetres of colliding with Norris on the last-but-one lap when he locked up his front-right tyre at the opening corner. "Remember how we go racing, Oscar," came the warning from his race engineer, Tom Stallard. George Russell passed Charles Leclerc with eight laps to go to take the final spot on the podium. Pole-sitter Leclerc had to settle for fourth. Lewis Hamilton, who urged Ferrari to replace him after he qualified only 12th, finished in the same position, a lap down. Norris' win in the concluding round before the summer break - his third triumph from his last four appearances - reignites his bid to land a maiden world crown. But the Bristolian can count himself somewhat fortunate to be standing on the top step of the podium. Norris started third, and although he got away well from his marks, an attempt to pass Piastri on the inside of the opening corner backfired. Norris did not commit to the overtake and that left him in no-man's land, allowing Russell and then Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso to breeze through. On lap three, Norris fought his way clear of Alonso but was then tucked up behind Russell and making little progress. On Saturday, Hamilton described himself as "absolutely useless" after he was knocked out of Q2 with Leclerc, in the other scarlet car, having taken the Scuderia's first pole of the year. By the end of the first lap, Hamilton dropped behind Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli and was 14th. By eight laps, he was 20 seconds behind Leclerc, and at the end of lap 14, he trailed his team-mate by half a minute. Piastri was the first of the leaders to blink, stopping for hard tyres on lap 18. Ferrari, reacting to Piastri's stop, pulled in Leclerc on the next lap. On fresh tyres, Piastri had been quicker than the Ferrari, but Leclerc managed to stay ahead. Russell also stopped on lap 19 promoting Norris to the lead. Further back, and Max Verstappen, who had also taken on fresh tyres, was tucked up behind Hamilton, yet to stop, in a duel for 11th. Verstappen threw his Red Bull underneath Hamilton's Ferrari at Turn 4 on lap 29, with the seven-time world champion running off the road and losing the place to his old nemesis. The flashpoint will be investigated by the stewards after the race. Returning to the front, and McLaren were now considering a one-stop strategy for Norris. His race engineer, Will Joseph, was on the radio: "Lando, 40 laps on the hard tyre, you up for it?" Norris replied: "Yeah, why not?" On lap 31 of 70 he came in for his sole change of tyres before lighting up the timesheets with the fastest laps of the race so far. Norris then dropped two wheels through the gravel on the exit of the chicane, which irked Joseph. "Lando, just keep the focus, we don't want these mistakes," he said. Both Leclerc and Piastri were forced to stop again on laps 40 and 45, respectively. Norris now led Leclerc by seven seconds, with Piastri five seconds further back. But Piastri was on the move, swatting Leclerc aside on lap 51 and then setting about reducing Norris' nine-second advantage. With five laps to go, Piastri was just a second behind, and on the penultimate lap attempted a banzai move at the first corner but Norris remained ahead to land what could be a pivotal win in his championship charge. Alonso finished fifth, one place ahead of rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. Verstappen finished ninth, with Hamilton fighting his way past Pierre Gasly and then Sainz but finished outside of the points on a desperate weekend for the 40-year-old.
