STUART MCCLOSKEY IS aware that people have been talking about the Ireland centres’ age.
Bundee Aki was 36 in April, McCloskey turned 34 in August, Robbie Henshaw celebrated his 33rd birthday in June, although young buck Garry Ringrose will only hit the 32 mark this coming January.
McCloskey knows that some people worry about what happens next when this crop of top-class centres begin to move on from international rugby.
But the powerful inside centre simply doesn’t care.
“I’ve seen bits of it,” says McCloskey. “It’s a weird one.
“I probably had my best season ever last year at 33. I’ve just turned 34 and still think I’m playing really good rugby.
“It feels like a problem for future Ireland, not for me. I don’t really care. I just want to play as much as I can. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the succession of what’s going on after me. That’s genuine. I just want to play well myself and worry about me.
“Until someone comes and takes the jersey off us, I think we’re all still playing at a very high level. It’s not really of our concern what age we are.”
This is a typical McCloskey no-nonsense view delivered in his laid-back manner. He is a man comfortable in his own skin and confident in his own game. And rightly so.
He loves playing for Ireland and is justifiably full of self-belief after putting down a brilliant 2025/26 season in green.
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McCloskey was immense in the 2026 Six Nations and remains a key part of Andy Farrell’s plans, having continued in the number 12 shirt against Argentina last weekend.
And he was happy with what he and Henshaw delivered in midfield.
“What is it, 10-and-a-half years since we’ve played with each other at Twickenham [in 2016], my first cap,” says McCloskey.
“So we’ve had a lot of time together, a lot of training sessions together. It’s pretty seamless. I think whatever one of the centres jumps into the group of us, it always works pretty well.
Robbie Henshaw and Stuart McCloskey. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“But I thought he went well. I thought we both went solidly, if not spectacular. We’re going to have games like that in the centre, especially if Sam [Prendergast] is playing like that at 10 and the back three are getting as much ball as they did.
“We’re happy to give the ball to them and get out of the way sometimes.”
While McCloskey first played with Henshaw and a few others in this Ireland squad over a decade ago, his 10-12 partnership with Prendergast is still relatively new.
They have come to know each other well over the last couple of seasons, with McCloskey enjoying the fact that they’re “both pretty calm on the field,” meaning they see things similarly.
“Sam has always had mercurial talent,” says McCloskey. “What age is he? 23? I don’t know what we expected of him before this.
“Yeah, he’s had flashes of being a brilliant player but now he’s probably just come into his own. Most players don’t get an opportunity in here until they’re 24 or 25,
“For him to have this much experience already, it’s put him in a great spot. He had a great game on the weekend. He’s been playing really well for Leinster.
“It took me until I was 33 to play well for Ireland, so he’s probably a bit ahead of me. I’m just delighted for him.
“It’s obviously tough on Jack [Crowley]. He’s sitting at home; he’s been injured for the last six months. But to have two guys of that standard, and even Frawls as well, to have three guys there now, they could all do an incredible job. It’s great for us, for Ireland.”
Among the other reasons McCloskey is excited about life with this Irish group is next year’s World Cup.
Like everyone else, he’s doing his best not to think too far ahead but it’s obviously a big motivation for players. McCloskey only played once off the bench at the 2023 World Cup, so he would appreciate a proper crack at next year’s competition.
McCloskey is looking forward to each step along the way.
McCloskey is loving his international rugby. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
“I think any time you come in here, Faz always does a great job of framing whatever you’re doing,” says McCloskey, “whether it’s the Six Nations, whether it’s the Nations Championship.
“When you have it all laid out in front of you, and you see it at the start of the year – this is what we’re building towards. I think going into the last World Cup we had an unbelievable belief that we could go and do it.
“This time I still feel a great confidence there. I think we’ve won seven of the last nine games this year, which in any other year you’d probably be saying it’s a reasonable enough year.
“But I think some of the performances, like France, we probably let ourselves down, and New Zealand in the summer. It’s just been a bit patchy.
“There’s that to build on but it’s an amazing carrot at the end of it all, to go to a World Cup. But there’s so much to do in between. It’s there, but we’re not looking too far ahead.”
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'Until someone takes the jersey off us, we're still playing at a high level'
STUART MCCLOSKEY IS aware that people have been talking about the Ireland centres’ age.
Bundee Aki was 36 in April, McCloskey turned 34 in August, Robbie Henshaw celebrated his 33rd birthday in June, although young buck Garry Ringrose will only hit the 32 mark this coming January.
McCloskey knows that some people worry about what happens next when this crop of top-class centres begin to move on from international rugby.
But the powerful inside centre simply doesn’t care.
“I’ve seen bits of it,” says McCloskey. “It’s a weird one.
“I probably had my best season ever last year at 33. I’ve just turned 34 and still think I’m playing really good rugby.
“It feels like a problem for future Ireland, not for me. I don’t really care. I just want to play as much as I can. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the succession of what’s going on after me. That’s genuine. I just want to play well myself and worry about me.
“Until someone comes and takes the jersey off us, I think we’re all still playing at a very high level. It’s not really of our concern what age we are.”
This is a typical McCloskey no-nonsense view delivered in his laid-back manner. He is a man comfortable in his own skin and confident in his own game. And rightly so.
He loves playing for Ireland and is justifiably full of self-belief after putting down a brilliant 2025/26 season in green.
McCloskey was immense in the 2026 Six Nations and remains a key part of Andy Farrell’s plans, having continued in the number 12 shirt against Argentina last weekend.
And he was happy with what he and Henshaw delivered in midfield.
“What is it, 10-and-a-half years since we’ve played with each other at Twickenham [in 2016], my first cap,” says McCloskey.
“So we’ve had a lot of time together, a lot of training sessions together. It’s pretty seamless. I think whatever one of the centres jumps into the group of us, it always works pretty well.
“But I thought he went well. I thought we both went solidly, if not spectacular. We’re going to have games like that in the centre, especially if Sam [Prendergast] is playing like that at 10 and the back three are getting as much ball as they did.
“We’re happy to give the ball to them and get out of the way sometimes.”
While McCloskey first played with Henshaw and a few others in this Ireland squad over a decade ago, his 10-12 partnership with Prendergast is still relatively new.
They have come to know each other well over the last couple of seasons, with McCloskey enjoying the fact that they’re “both pretty calm on the field,” meaning they see things similarly.
“Sam has always had mercurial talent,” says McCloskey. “What age is he? 23? I don’t know what we expected of him before this.
“Yeah, he’s had flashes of being a brilliant player but now he’s probably just come into his own. Most players don’t get an opportunity in here until they’re 24 or 25,
“For him to have this much experience already, it’s put him in a great spot. He had a great game on the weekend. He’s been playing really well for Leinster.
“It took me until I was 33 to play well for Ireland, so he’s probably a bit ahead of me. I’m just delighted for him.
“It’s obviously tough on Jack [Crowley]. He’s sitting at home; he’s been injured for the last six months. But to have two guys of that standard, and even Frawls as well, to have three guys there now, they could all do an incredible job. It’s great for us, for Ireland.”
Among the other reasons McCloskey is excited about life with this Irish group is next year’s World Cup.
Like everyone else, he’s doing his best not to think too far ahead but it’s obviously a big motivation for players. McCloskey only played once off the bench at the 2023 World Cup, so he would appreciate a proper crack at next year’s competition.
McCloskey is looking forward to each step along the way.
“I think any time you come in here, Faz always does a great job of framing whatever you’re doing,” says McCloskey, “whether it’s the Six Nations, whether it’s the Nations Championship.
“When you have it all laid out in front of you, and you see it at the start of the year – this is what we’re building towards. I think going into the last World Cup we had an unbelievable belief that we could go and do it.
“This time I still feel a great confidence there. I think we’ve won seven of the last nine games this year, which in any other year you’d probably be saying it’s a reasonable enough year.
“But I think some of the performances, like France, we probably let ourselves down, and New Zealand in the summer. It’s just been a bit patchy.
“There’s that to build on but it’s an amazing carrot at the end of it all, to go to a World Cup. But there’s so much to do in between. It’s there, but we’re not looking too far ahead.”
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