Fionn Carr (born 17 December 1985) is an Irish rugby union former player. He played primarily as a wing but could also play at fullback. Carr played most of his professional career for Irish province Connacht in the Pro12. He also played for another Irish province, Leinster. Carr represented Ireland at Schools, Under 19 and Under 21 level, as well as at international 'A' level and the Ireland national rugby sevens team.

Fionn Carr
Birth nameFionn Carr
Date of birth (1985-12-17) 17 December 1985 (age 38)
Place of birthArdclough, County Kildare, Ireland
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
SchoolNewbridge College
UniversityUniversity College Dublin
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Current team Naas
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)



2016–
Naas
UCD
Blackrock College
Naas
()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2008
2008–2011
2011–2013
2013–2016
Leinster
Connacht
Leinster
Connacht
1
73
37
37
(0)
(170)
(40)
(40)
Correct as of 8 May 2015
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2004
2005
2006
2009–2011
Ireland Schools
Ireland U19
Ireland U21
Ireland Wolfhounds
2
1
10
2
(0)
(0)
(15)
(0)
Correct as of 28 February 2014
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2017 Ireland 7s 4
Correct as of 19 December 2020

Carr also played at amateur level for Naas in the All-Ireland League.[1] He is also the backs coach for Catholic University School in Dublin.

Youth

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Carr started playing rugby with Naas at underage levels. At school level Carr played for Newbridge College. While at Newbridge, Carr played for the junior cup team once, and the senior cup team twice. Carr subsequently won a rugby scholarship to University College Dublin where he studied Arts. He left the UCD rugby team in his second year of college and joined Blackrock College.[citation needed]

Professional club career

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Carr played once for Leinster during the 2007–08 Celtic League, starting on the wing against Glasgow Warriors.[2]

Connacht

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After finishing in UCD, Carr signed for the western province of Connacht. He was the top try-scorer for Connacht during the 2008–09 Celtic League campaign, scoring eight tries in the league. This tally put him one behind the top try-scorer Thom Evans.[3] He also scored three tries for the team in six appearances in the 2008–09 European Challenge Cup. He ended his first stint at Connacht at the end of the 2010-11 season with 34 tries, 22 of them in the league and 12 in the Challenge Cup. At the time this made him the province's all-time top try-scorer.[4][5]

Return to Leinster

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Carr joined Leinster for the start of the 2011–12 season.[6] He made his first appearance for the team since the 2007–08 season against the Ospreys. He made his first ever appearance in the Heineken Cup on 20 November 2011, against the Glasgow Warriors. In his first season back in his native province, he played 18 times in the league, with 3 of those appearances being from the bench, scoring 5 tries.[7] He also made 2 appearances from the bench in the 2011–12 Heineken Cup, as Leinster won the competition.[8]

 
Fionn Carr during the 2012 Pro12 Grand Final

The following season, Carr played 16 times for the province, but did not play in the Heineken Cup pool stages or the successful Amlin Cup campaign, with all of his appearances coming in the Pro 12. He scored only 3 tries, with those coming against Newport Gwent Dragons, Cardiff Blues and Zebre. He left Leinster at the end of the 2012–13 season, having scored 8 tries in his two seasons there, all of them coming in the league.

Return to Connacht

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Carr returned to Connacht for the 2013–14 season, having turned down the offer of a new contract with Leinster.[9][10] His return debut came in the opening game of the 2013–14 Pro12 against Zebre. Carr started the game and scored a try. He played his first ever Heineken Cup game for Connacht on 11 October 2013, against Saracens in Galway. Carr left Connacht at the end of the 2015-16 season.[citation needed]

All Ireland League

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Carr joined Naas RFC in the All Ireland League in the summer of 2016.

International career

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Carr played for Ireland at various under-age levels, including Under-19 and Under-21.

Carr also played for Ireland's second tier international team, which is currently known as Ireland Wolfhounds and was previously Ireland A. His first appearance for Ireland A came in a 2009 Churchill Cup against Canada.[11] He also started against the England Saxons on 31 January 2010, in a 17–13 loss.[12] In 2010, the Irish Times referred to Carr as "Perhaps the fastest winger in the country one of Ireland’s outstanding performers against England Saxons this season".[13] Despite his strong try-scoring record while with the province, Carr did not receive a full international cap.

Carr played for the Ireland national rugby sevens team in the Rugby Europe 2017 Sevens Grand Prix Series, playing as the starting centre. Carr's performance in the 2017 Grand Prix helped the team qualify for the 2018 Hong Kong Sevens and the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

References

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  1. ^ "The cream of Ireland's domestic rugby talent back in action this weekend". The42. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016. Murphy, who has recruited his old school friend Fionn Carr fresh from the professional ranks
  2. ^ "Glasgow Warriors 21 - 17 Leinster Rugby: Lineups". RaboDirectPRO12. 12 October 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Leading Try-Scorers". RaboDirectPRO12. 6 June 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Fionn Carr reveals he turned down Leinster contract for Connacht return". The Score. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014. "the 27-year-old Dubliner earned the title of all-time leading try scorer with 34 dot-downs"
  5. ^ "Browne And Carr On Their Way To Leinster". Irish Rugby. 4 May 2011. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013.
  6. ^ "Carr and Browne sign for Leinster". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Leinster Squad Index: Fionn Carr". RaboDirectPRO12. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Player Archive: Fionn Carr". ERC. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Fionn Carr returning to Connacht in the summer". Setanta Sports. 21 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Fionn Carr reveals he turned down Leinster contract for Connacht return". The Score. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  11. ^ "Ireland 'A' leave it late against Canada". Irish Rugby. 11 June 2009. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  12. ^ "Ireland 'A' Fall Short In Bath". Irish Rugby. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  13. ^ Turning game time in to show time
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