BYRNE-ING WISH TO STILL BE A PLAYER

Leinster great Shane missing rugby 18 years after retiring

- BY SANDRA MALLON

FORMER rugby player Shane Byrne has admitted he wishes he was still playing the sport.

The ex-hooker, one of Leinster's most capped players, brought an end to his illustrious career in 2007.

But life nowadays for Shane, 53, once regarded as one of most accurate line-out throwers in the world, looks very different.

He said: “I'm in the waste management. It was a family business and we sold sections of it to Bord na Mona recycling and I'm now working for them?”

Asked if he missed playing on the pitch, Shane said: “Oh god, yeah. How could you not. Look at what they are achieving now.

“I span a hell of a long time and when I started, Leinster was only getting going and there were only a couple of people in the stands. Now they are filling stadiums.”

MOMENTUM