Former Ireland outhalf Ian Madigan announces retirement from rugby

Madigan played for Leinster and Ulster, making 31 appearances for his country

Ulster’s Ian Madigan. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Ulster’s Ian Madigan. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho

Former Ireland outhalf Ian Madigan has announced his retirement from rugby. The Ulster player made the announcement on instagram today.

Madigan, who made his Leinster debut in 2009, went on to win 147 caps for his native province, scoring 827 points. He moved to Bordeaux in 2016 for a season before switching to Bristol Bears where he made 50 appearances between 2017 and 2020.

He was capped at Ireland U-20s in the 2008/09 season and made his senior debut on in 2013. He won 31 international caps and scored 121 points in green and was a key member of the 2015 Rugby World Cup squad. Covering for the injured Johnny Sexton, he played against Argentina in the quarter-final which Ireland lost.

He returned to Ireland in 2020, this time with Ulster, where he won 32 caps.

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In his statement he said, ‘Thank you to Dan McFarland for bringing me to Ulster. The final three years of my career were so enjoyable. I would love to have played more but that’s professional sport. The relationships I’ve made with the players and staff in this great club are ones for a lifetime. I am proud to call myself an Ulsterman and look forward to living in Belfast for the foreseeable future.”