If things had turned out a little differently, then it would be a different Ian - Ian McKinley that would be Leinster's star player at outhalf. Instead of winding down the season and preparing for the Rugby World Cup at the end of the year, Ian McKinley suffered a horrifying injury that ended his career.
In January 2011, McKinley was hit in the eye from a straight boot from a teammate in an AIL game between UCD and Lansdowne. There was no pain for McKinley, but it was the urgency in the doctor's voice that startled him. McKinley's eye looked like it was loosely applied piece of cling-film was the only thing stopping his eye from falling out.
An eight millimetre gash on his head lead to a series of painful operations to try and fix some of his sight. He managed to regain 70% of his sight in his eye, and was able to continue playing. But he know it was only a matter of time before his retina detached completely.
He would go on to captain Ireland U20s in the Junior World Cup, before his displayed his huge promise in a masterful performance against Treviso. That was the highlight of his career. He complained of blurred vision after 15 minutes in a development match brought the curtain down on his Leinster career, before he lost his sight completely in his left eye stepping out of a restaurant in Galway.
He was 21.
#Baabaas squad now includes inspirational Ian McKinley @ianmck7 making 1st UK appearance since losing sight in one eye #rugby #rugbyunited
— Barbarian FC (@Barbarian_FC) April 20, 2015
Now, Ian McKinley has been named in the latest Barbarians squad. It's been quite a journey for the former hot prospect.
The development of protective goggles that got an IRB (World Rugby) ok to trial lead to a return to rugby in Italy. In March 2014, he made his comeback for Italian Serie C side Leonorso. It wasn't the highest standard, but getting back into rugby was huge for him. In an excellent article, he spoke to the42 about his return:
It was surreal when I found out [that he could return to rugby] and my first game back was fantastic.
McKinley starred for Leonorso, before Italian Super 10 side and former Heineken Cup team Viadana took a risk on him. It's paid off hugely. McKinley established himself as a leader within the team inside four months, and is enjoying a second chance.
Now, he gets to showcase his talents after being selected in the latest Barbarians squad. The invitational team represents all that is great about rugby, but McKinley's inclusion in the squad highlights all that is good with the Barbarians culture.
Photo Credit Brian Lawless /Sportsfile
