Shane Jennings

For the Connacht and Ireland Sevens rugby union player, see Shane Jennings (rugby union, born 2001).

Shane Jennings (born 8 July 1981) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at openside flanker for Leinster Rugby and Ireland. He was also registered to St Mary's College.

Shane Jennings

Birth name	Shane Jennings
Date of birth	(1981-07-08) 8 July 1981
Place of birth	Knocklyon, Dublin, Ireland
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	105 kg (16 st 7 lb; 231 lb)
School	St Mary's College, Dublin
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) St Mary's College () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2000–2005 2005–2007 2007–2015 Leinster Leicester Tigers Leinster 42 60 163 (30) (60) (75) Correct as of 18 March 2018 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1999 2001 2005–2010 2007–2012 2015 Ireland U19 Ireland U21 Ireland Wolfhounds Ireland Barbarians 4 9 10 13 1 (0) (0) (5) (5) (0) Correct as of 28 May 2015

Club career

Jennings impressed for Leinster in the 2004–05 Heineken Cup when Keith Gleeson was injured, however Gleeson returned from injury for the quarter final with Leicester Tigers, having had no previous game time. Leicester had previously identified Jennings as a threat. After the game which Leicester won 29–13, Leicester's retiring openside Neil Back approached Jennings and offered to open contract negotiations. He signed for Leicester for the 2006 season, along with fellow Leinster forward Leo Cullen, winning the English Premiership in 2007 and scoring a try in the final. He re-signed for Leinster on a three-year contract for the start of the 2007/8 season winning the Magners League in 2008 and European Cup in 2009. In October 2009 he was banned for twelve weeks for making contact with the eye area of Nick Kennedy of London Irish in the first round of the Heineken Cup. On 19 February 2015 Jennings announced he would retire at the end of the 2014-15 season.

International career

Jennings's international ambitions were hampered largely due to a surplus of quality Irish back row forwards during his playing career. He was named in the Irish squad for the Summer tour of Argentina and earned his first cap on 2 June 2007. Jennings was called into the Ireland A side that was defeated by England Saxons on 1 February 2008. He wasn't initially named in Ireland's squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but was then called up after an injury to David Wallace. At the World Cup against Russia he scored his only international try. Jennings achieved 13 test caps throughout his career, his last coming against Scotland in the 2012 Six Nations.

Honours

Leinster

• Heineken Cup (3): 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12
• European Challenge Cup (1): 2012-13
• Pro12 (3): 2007-08, 2012-13, 2013-14

Leicester

• English Premiership (1): 2006-07

Outside Rugby

Jennings grew up in Cremorne in Knocklyon, County Dublin, but moved to Rathfarnham with his mother Joan(and his two brothers) and her partner Norman Young when his parents separated in the early 1990s.

Jennings earned a BA in Business Studies in Portobello College and an MBA with the Dublin Business School.

External links

• Leinster profile
• Shane Jennings at ESPNscrum
• IRFU profile