Damien Varley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Damien Varley

Varley at his old school, St Munchin's College
Date of birth	(1983-10-29) 29 October 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth	Limerick, Ireland
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	110 kg (17 st; 240 lb)
School	St Munchin's College
University	University of Limerick
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2006–2008 Munster 2 (0) 2008–2009 Wasps 4 (10) 2009–2015 Munster 121 (60) Correct as of 5 October 2014 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2010–2014 Ireland 3 (0) 2011–2013 Ireland Wolfhounds 4 (0) Correct as of 9 February 2015

Damien Varley was a talented Irish rugby union player. He was born on October 29, 1983. Damien played as a hooker for both Munster and the Irish national team. Sadly, he had to stop playing rugby in February 2015 because of a foot injury.

Early Life and School Days

Damien Varley grew up in Limerick, Ireland. He went to a boarding school called St. Munchin's College. While there, he showed his rugby skills early on. In 2002, he scored two tries to help his school win the Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup final. After school, he continued his studies at the University of Limerick.

Playing for Munster Rugby

Damien started his professional rugby career with Munster Rugby. He made his first appearance for the senior team on May 5, 2006. This was in a Celtic League game against Ospreys. He came on as a replacement player in that match.

Time with London Wasps

In September 2008, Damien decided to try playing rugby in England. He joined the English club London Wasps for one year. He made an immediate impact, scoring a try for his new team in his very first game. This was a close win against Leicester Tigers.

Returning to Munster

After his year in England, Damien Varley came back to his home province, Munster, for the 2009–10 season. This return was a big success for him. He played in 22 games that season. He also made his debut in the important Heineken Cup competition in October 2009.

Big Wins with Munster

Damien was part of some memorable victories for Munster.

• In November 2010, he started for Munster in a famous 15–6 win against the Australian national team. This exciting match took place at Thomond Park.
• He also started when Munster beat their big rivals, Leinster, in the 2011 Magners League Grand Final. Munster won that game 19–9.
• In February 2013, Damien signed a new two-year contract with Munster. This showed how important he was to the team.
• He even captained Munster in a 2013–14 Heineken Cup semi-final game in April 2014.

Playing for Ireland

Damien Varley also had the honor of playing for his country, Ireland.

First International Appearances

• He joined the Ireland squad for the 2010 Summer Tour.
• He earned his first cap (which means his first game for the national team) against Australia. He came on as a substitute in the final minutes of the game.
• Later that year, he played against Argentina in the 2010 Autumn Tests.

Rugby World Cup and Other Squads

• Damien was part of Ireland's training squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
• Although he wasn't in the final squad at first, he was called up during the tournament. This happened when another player, Jerry Flannery, got injured.
• He was also selected for the Ireland Wolfhounds squad in January 2012. The Wolfhounds are a team that helps develop players for the main national team.
• In 2013, he was again called into Ireland's training squad for the 2013 Six Nations Championship.
• His last international appearance was in June 2014, when he came off the bench against Argentina during Ireland's tour.