Gordon D'Arcy
Club / Province:	Lansdowne/Leinster
Position:	Centre
Date of Birth:	10/2/80
Height:	1.8m
Weight:	90Kg
Honours:	63 caps Debut 1999 v Romania

Gordon D’Arcy was first noticed as a schoolboy where he captained Clongowes Wood to Leinster Senior Cup success in 1998. Such was the impression he made in his senior school year that Warren Gatland, then Ireland coach, invited D’Arcy on the 98 Ireland tour of South Africa. D’Arcy declined the offer, wisely choosing to finish his final exams at Clongowes. Gordon was fast-tracked into senior rugby and his first senior International cap came against Romania in the 1999 RWC.

A dip in form saw D’Arcy lose his place with Leinster, however it didn’t take long for him to get back on track with a series of blistering performances earning him a recall to International Rugby for the 2004 Six Nations where he earned the accolade 2004 Player of the Six Nations. A serious break to his arm during the 2008 Six Nations saw a lengthy layoff. Gordon was drafted into the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa where he made an immediate impression.

D'Arcy continued his rich vein of form for Ireland during the 2010 Six Nations where he started against Italy, France, England and Wales. Since then he has increased his cap tally to 52 and has been the mainstay of the Leinster and Ireland back line for over a decade.

Member of 2011 RWC squad