RUGBY INTERNATIONAL
Boks to play against a man who stared adversity in the face
The Springboks are likely to face one of the game’s most inspirational figures this weekend. You would be right if you thought that Ian McKinley does not sound particularly Italian‚ because he has been naturalised. McKinley‚ who was born in Dublin‚ did not set out to one day tell a tale of triumph over adversity but his story will resonate with anyone who has defied the odds. In short‚ McKinley lost an eye after a teammate’s stray boot knocked him in the face in 2010. He retired but made an unlikely comeback in 2014‚ not just playing socially but again playing professional rugby before remarkably joining the Test ranks earlier in November. The flyhalf is not exactly unobtrusive‚ because he has to wear protective goggles to safeguard his remaining vision. As a young man his future was very much in Ireland, where he represented the country at under-20 before going on to play for Leinster. The injury‚ however‚ took him out of the game for six months‚ although he was told it would take ...
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