Date of birth | 6 October 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Clonmel, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 100 kg (16 st; 220 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Rockwell College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Eoghan Grace (born 6 October 1987) is an Irish former rugby union player.
Grace began his professional rugby career as a member of his native province Munster's academy, and during that time he won a grand slam with the Ireland under-20s team during the 2007 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and an All-Ireland League Division 1 title with Shannon in 2008–09. [1] However, Grace was unable to break into Munster's senior squad, and he moved to England to join Premiership Rugby side Exeter Chiefs ahead of the 2010–11 season. [2] Grace's time with the Devon club was hampered by an achilles injury, [3] and after one season with Exeter, Grace returned to Ireland to join Connacht. He stayed with the western province for two seasons, which were also hampered by injury, [3] before returning to Devon to join Plymouth Albion, [4] where he lodged with fellow former Munsterman Declan Cusack. [5]
After two seasons with Plymouth, Grace joined another RFU Championship side, Ealing Trailfinders, for the 2015–16 season. [6] At the beginning of the 2016–17 season, Grace signed for Coventry [7] and was appointed co-captain of the club, [3] before ending his career back with Plymouth, whilst also coaching in the club's academy and community programme. [3] After rugby, Grace began running two companies; Eolas+, a not-for-profit that goes into primary schools and runs holiday camps in the south-west of England to get children involved in sports, and Pro Rugby Academy, which works with aspiring rugby players who have missed out on contracts with professional clubs. [3]