A SMILE RISES on Ciarán Frawley’s face when he’s asked what position he played during his days kicking GAA and soccer balls around Skerries. As it happens, the versatility which has seen Frawley play across the Leinster backline also served him well in other sports.
Soccer was an early love for Frawley, with his grandad, Justin Maguire, a big influence.
“I could be completely wrong but he tells me he played a little bit with the Aston Villa Academy back in the day,” Frawley says.
The Dubliner went down a different sporting route and arrived at a milestone day last weekend, marking his first Test start with a try in Ireland’s Six Nations defeat of Wales. As Frawley soaked up the moment after the game, the TV cameras closed in on him during a warm embrace with friends and family.
This is what it's all about 🥹❤️
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 24, 2024
Ciarán Frawley celebrates with friends and family at full time of #IREvWAL pic.twitter.com/lH9rtWZAhv
“It was very special day, getting the first start is unbelievable and the video of my Grandad is circulating – he was home that morning from San Francisco, so he had a bit of jet-lag and the occasion got the better of them! It was brilliant to watch it back, a brilliant day.
“It’s like any family isn’t it? They go through all the hard days, the upset you go through and also at the very start it’s them who bring you to the back-arse of nowhere really, to minis’ games, it’s credit to them and the hard work they put in to me. It means a lot for me to go out there and represent them as well.”
Frawley came through the ranks at Skerries RFC and represented Ireland at U17s, U18s and U20s level before breaking through at Leinster and working his way into Andy Farrell’s plans. Having been first called into camp in November 2021, a series of injury setbacks curtailed his development but a Test debut arrived in the World Cup warm-up games last summer, before he truly announced himself on the international stage with his star turn against Wales.
I think as soon as I started playing, I dreamed of scoring a try for Ireland.
“I was about seven when I started playing [rugby], I always loved soccer, my grandad was mad into soccer, he would have played at a high enough level in England when he was younger, he was mad to get me supporting Leeds, but I was always [Manchester] United.
“But my Mam and my Dad both got me into rugby because he had family and friends were in the club, and then I loved it from the get go, and then I played a bit of Gaelic football on the side.”
Representing Ireland was always the end goal but it wasn’t the only avenue open to Frawley.
Born in Sydney, Frawley spent the first three years of his life in Australia before the family moved to North County Dublin. The 26-year-old would have been eligible to play for the Wallabies and there was interest from the side of the world before he was capped in green.
“I was in and out of [Ireland] camps from 2021, and I felt my time was coming, I had a few injuries along the way and obviously I was still qualified for Australia. But I never had a phone call with Eddie Jones.
I knew there was interest from over there, but I was never going to go, I’ve lived in Ireland since I was three years old, Ireland was my home, I don’t want to move to the other side of the world when I felt I had the potential to do what I actually wanted to do.”
Frawley’s path from Skerries Community College to senior international rugby is a reminder that those outside the big rugby schools can still make it all the way to the top of the sport. His Six Nations debut was a proud moment for the town and club, and Frawley is fully aware his roots are an important part of his story.
“100%. There is a few big names that came from Skerries, you look at the Billy Mulcahy’s that would have played – Dr Bill [Mulcahy] would have played for the Lions, Billy Mulcahy playing for Connacht and Ireland 7s, Chris Keane, and the list goes on, and it’s just great to add to that list.
“There are not many from Skerries, there is a bit of an age gap and [it's great to] keep the history going in the town and in the club.”
So, what happens next? Much of Frawley’s career has involved debate around his best position. The player himself wants to be a 10, but broke into the Leinster senior team as an inside centre. He’s since moved around the backline, with his 45 starts for the province spread across 24 at inside centre, 12 at out-half, eight at fullback and one at outside centre.
Having done a fine job deputising for the injured Hugo Keenan at fullback against Wales, Frawley would be the favorite to continue at 15 against England next weekend should his Leinster teammate fail to recover from his knee injury in time – although Keenan appears to be winning his race to be fit for the trip to Twickenham.
Either way, Frawley will continue to be an option at fullback for Ireland going forward, and sounds increasingly open to the idea that out-half might not be his long-term home.
“I just want to play,” he says.
“That’s the main thing. I want to play in big games. I’ve kind of understood now at this stage… The way I see it is I think like a 10, I feel like I play like a 10 but I probably have the ability to jump into other positions and do a job there.
“So for me it’s understanding that and then knowing that it will get me into the big games. That’s what I take the satisfaction from.”
