Some Lads Are Happy to Hold Tackle Bags... But I Wanted to Play so I Left ; Fed Up Struggling On the Provincial Circuit, James Downey has Hit the Big Time Over at Northampton [Eire Region Edition 2]

Summary

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JAMES DOWNEY readily gives thanks to his stubbornness. Without it, he would never be where he is now - revelling in the well remunerated job of starring regularly in the centre for Northampton in the English Premiership and coming off the back of a summer where he played his part in Ireland A's Churchill Cup triumph in Denver.

All the indicators three short years ago were that he should turn on his heels and walk away from the game he loves at the age of 25. He didn't have a deal, never mind a notion he could wind up representing his country.

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Extract

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Some Lads Are Happy to Hold Tackle Bags... But I Wanted to Play so I Left ; Fed Up Struggling On the Provincial Circuit, James Downey has Hit the Big Time Over at Northampton [Eire Region Edition 2]

He'd done the rounds in Ireland, unusually spending time at three of the provinces without ever suggesting he could turn ambition into a long-term professional career (Ronan McCormack and Aidan Kearney are others who've had three Irish clubs in the pro era).

It wasn't that Downey's face didn't fit; it was just he...

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