The first game with St. Albert in premier men’s rugby was a forgettable experience for Irish import Johnny Moloney.
“I ran around like a headless chicken for about 80 minutes,” said the towering six-foot-five and 245-pound eight-man of the 29-17 loss to the Druids last Saturday.
“I couldn’t get over the pace of the game. It was fast. It was like side-to-side rugby and back home that doesn’t happen. We normally work our forwards first, a war of attrition for about 60 minutes, and then the last 20 our backs do damage. Here from the kickoff you’re constantly throwing it out to the wing or following the ball out to the wing.”
Moloney, 30, arrived last week at midnight Thursday and without even one practice with his new teammates was thrown into the starting line-up of the defending Alberta Cup provincial champions.
“It was weird. It was probably the first time I walked into a team where I didn’t know everyone’s name, especially the pack. I always make friends with the guys in the pack, those are boys you lie down for,” he said. “It was tough. I was going through the game asking lads, ‘What’s his name?’ On defence you need to know each other and communicate and I didn’t know anyone’s name so it was very hard for me to communicate.”
The loss was arguably the worst performance by the first 15 since St. Albert rejoined the premier ranks in 2008.
“Coming from winning a championship last year I assume they had high hopes of jumping out guns blazing this season and keep the standards up and obviously the standards dropped,” Moloney said. “In talking to Chal [Smyth] and Gerbil [Kiernan], those coaches were very disappointed with the way things happened and this Saturday we have to bounce back and bounce back strongly.”
Today’s kickoff between St. Albert and the Clansmen (0-1) is 4 p.m. at Airways Park. The firsts have never lost two matches in row while going 39-7-1 after winning the 2007 second division provincial crown.
Moloney was attracted to St. Albert’s tradition of excellence while exploring his playing options outside of Ireland.
“I knew they were one of the best clubs in the province the last three or four years. I knew they had been in finals [three years in a row in premier] and they topped the league [as pennant winners] for a few years and obviously they won it last year, which is a big huge bonus,” he said. “Winning attracts players and when I saw they won the final I said I wanted to be part of a club like this.”
Moloney is an electrician by trade.
“There is no work at home. There is very high unemployment, especially for electricians. The trades are dead over there,” he said. “I was looking to Ontario but there was no work there either and then I got in contact with Gerbil and he brought me over, got me set up with a job and I’m very thankful for that.”
Moloney is also in awe of St. Albert’s rugby facility at Riel Park.
“It’s second to none. When you think of rugby in Canada you don’t think it’s a rugby stronghold, but when you come to clubs like this and see the facilities they have, it’s ridiculous. Back home there is only about three or four clubs in the country that have facilities like this and that’s saying a lot for St. Albert. They obviously put a lot into it and they should be very proud of themselves.”
The last two years Moloney played in the second and third divisions with the Highfield Rugby Football Club in Cork City. Previous clubs were Clonmel and Cork Constitution.
His list of accomplishments includes the Garryowen Cup, Munster Junior Cup, and the All-Ireland Cup and All-Ireland League championships.
“I only took up rugby at 21, which is a very late start. Hurling was my main sport,” said Moloney, who grew up in the small village of Poulmucka. “I liked the physicality of rugby and this lad asked me to come and play with the local club at home. I took that up and played and I’ve never looked back since.”
Moloney made a rare appearance at eight-man against the Druids. In Ireland he mainly played second row.
“I didn’t have much of a choice that day. That’s where they put me.”
Moloney is currently being billeted by a St. Albert rugby fan and in 11 weeks he will be joined by his wife, Helen, who is capped internationally with Ireland.
