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Darren Cave

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Darren Cave
Darren Cave, Heineken Cup final, 2012
Birth nameDarren Cave
Date of birth (1987-04-05) 5 April 1987 (age 37)
Place of birthHolywood, Northern Ireland
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
SchoolSullivan Upper School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Belfast Harlequins ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2019 Ulster 229 (229)
Correct as of 30 March 2019
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007
2007–2014
2009–2015
2008		 Ireland U20
Ireland Wolfhounds
Ireland
Ireland Sevens		 5
11
11
(10)
(30)
(10)
Correct as of 27 September 2015

Darren Cave (born 5 April 1987) is a retired professional Irish rugby union player who played centre for Ulster, sharing the province's appearance record with Andrew Trimble and Rob Herring with 229, and won eleven caps for Ireland.

Early career

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Cave attended Sullivan Upper School, and helped them win the Medallion Shield in 2002, scoring a try, a conversion and the winning penalty in the final.[1] He represented Ireland at schools level, [2] including for a tour of Australia 2004.[3] The same year, he was nominated for the Ulster Schools Player of the Year award.[4] In 2005 he joined Belfast Harlequins[5] represented Ireland at the under-19 World Cup,[6] and joined the Ulster Rugby academy in 2005.[7] He was part of the Ireland under-20 team that won a Grand Slam in the under-20 Six Nations in 2007.[8]

Ulster Rugby

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After scoring two hat-tricks in consecutive weeks for Belfast Harlequins, Cave made his first senior start for Ulster against the Dragons in October 2007,[9] He became a regular in the side in the 2008–09 season, making 21 starts and scoring seven tries, and was named Ulster Rugby Young Player of the Year.[10]

In 2010–11 Cave struggled with injuries but returned towards the end of the season and scored some vital tries as Ulster reached the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup and semi-finals of the Magners League. Cave showed excellent form on his return to action but picked up another injury in early 2012, just as he looked likely to be included in Ireland's Six Nations squad. He made another magnificent comeback as Ulster made the Heineken Cup final for just the second time in their history, but they lost to Leinster in the 2012 Heineken Cup Final, 42-14.[11]

In the 2012–13 campaign, Cave was ever-present as Ulster reached the final of the PRO12 and recorded a series of notable firsts including winning in France and beating every Welsh region in Wales. Cave scored five tries the following season and was a stand-out player for the province as Ulster won all six of their Heineken Cup Pool matches and reached the PRO12 Play Off.

Cave retired from rugby union at the end of the 2018–19 season,[12] having equalled Andrew Trimble's record of 229 appearance for Ulster,[13] a record that has since been surpassed by Rob Herring.[14]

International career

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Cave was included in Ireland's 39-man squad for the 2009 Six Nations Championship,[15] was part of the Ireland 'A' team that won the 2009 Churchill Cup,[16] and won his first two full international caps against Canada and the United States in Ireland's 2009 tour of North America.[17] He was selected for Ireland's 2012 tour of New Zealand, making one appearance off the bench,[18] and scored an impressive individual try for an Ireland XV side that defeated Fiji 53-0 later the same year.[19] He was selected for Ireland's 2013 tour of the USA and Canada[18] starting both tests and scoring a try against Canada.[20][21] He started both tests in Ireland's 2014 tour of Argentina,[22][23] and won his eighth international cap in the 49-7 win against Georgia in November 2014,[24] having been initially left out of Ireland's squad for the Autumn internationals.[25] He made one appearance in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, starting against Romania.[26] He retired with eleven caps for Ireland.[27]

References

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  1. ^ Simon McCloskey, "Cave the hero in Sullivan win", News Letter, 22 March 2002
  2. ^ "Ulster kids make grade", News Letter, 16 December 2003
  3. ^ Richard Mulligan, "Six Ulster boys on Aussie tour of a lifetime", Belfast Telegraph, 14 July 2004
  4. ^ Gavin Mairs, "Ulster set to honour their own", Belfast Telegraph, 20 May 2004
  5. ^ "Irish have semi-final hope", News Letter, 9 April 2005
  6. ^ "Four head off to U-19 World Cup", News Letter, 24 March 2005
  7. ^ Gavin Mairs, "Ulster boys' pivotal role for Ireland", Belfast Telegraph, 22 November 2005
  8. ^ "The five best Darren Cave moments as Ulster centre announces retirement", Belfast Telegraph, 3 April 2019
  9. ^ Ciaran Donaghy, "Cave finds ray of light in shape of start for Ulster", Belfast Telegraph, 6 October 2007
  10. ^ Richard Mulligan, "Ferris claims top accolade", News Letter, 15 May 2009
  11. ^ "Heineken Cup 2012: Brian O'Driscoll overwhelmed by Leinster's record-breaking victory over Ulster". The Daily Telegraph. London. 20 May 2012.
  12. ^ "Cave to retire at end of season". Ulster Rugby. 3 April 2019. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  13. ^ Richard Mulligan, "Darren Cave’s Ulster achievements hailed by Rory Best", News Letter, 19 May 2019
  14. ^ "Herring Equals Ulster Caps Record As Stockdale Hits Century Mark", Irish Rugby, 4 May 2023
  15. ^ "Ireland call-up for centre Cave", BBC Sport, 21 January 2009
  16. ^ "Ireland ‘A’ Squad For Churchill Cup Announced", Irish Rugby, 11 May 2009
  17. ^ Darren Cave profile at ESPN, accessed 22 July 2023
  18. ^ a b "4 years and 3 caps on, Darren Cave is determined to make next Ireland start count", The 42, 7 June 2013
  19. ^ Eddie Butler, "Ireland XV demolish Fiji after Craig Gilroy stakes claim with three tries", The Guardian, 17 November 2012
  20. ^ "Ian Madigan kicks Ireland to victory". espn.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Ireland rout Canada". espn.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  22. ^ Staff, ESPN. "Sexton injury mars Ireland win". espn.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  23. ^ Staff, ESPN. "Ireland battle to hard-fought win". espn.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  24. ^ Staff, ESPN. "Ireland power past Georgia". espn.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  25. ^ "Ireland’s Darren Cave crosses Atlantic to play against Georgia", The Guardian, 15 November 2014
  26. ^ "Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland 44-10 Romania", BBC, 27 September 2015
  27. ^ "'I retire as a lifelong Ulster man': Darren Cave announces decision to leave Ulster", Belfast Telegraph, 3 April 2019
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