Jeremy Loughman Explained

Jeremy Loughman
Birth Date:1995 7, df=yes
Birth Place:Reno, United States
Weight:118kg (260lb)
Position:Prop
Amatyears1:2014–2018
Amatteam1:UCD
Amatyears2:2018–
Amatteam2:Garryowen
Years1:2016
Clubs1:Leinster
Apps1:5
Points1:0
Years2:2017–
Clubs2:Munster
Apps2:107
Points2:30
Clubupdate:15 June 2024
Repyears1:2015
Repteam1:Ireland U20
Repcaps1:5
Reppoints1:0
Repyears2:2022
Repteam2:Ireland A
Repcaps2:1
Reppoints2:0
Repyears3:2022–
Repteam3:Ireland
Repcaps3:5
Reppoints3:0
Repupdate:11 February 2024
School:Blackrock College

Jeremy Loughman (born 22 July 1995) is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a prop for United Rugby Championship club Munster and the Ireland national team.

Early life

Loughman was born in Reno, Nevada and lived there until he was four-years-old, when his family moved to Sevenoaks, Kent due to his fathers work in the oil and gas industry. The family stayed there for eight years before moving to Athy, County Kildare,[1] where Loughman first played rugby for Athy RFC, while he attended Árdscoil na Tríonóide and was capped at Leinster Under-18 Youths level. He then moved to Blackrock College, Dublin for his fifth and sixth year, where he won the Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup in 2013 and 2014.[2] [3] [4]

Munster

Loughman joined Munster on a three-month development contract in December 2017, having previously been a member of the Leinster Academy.[5] He made his first appearance for Munster A on 8 December 2017, featuring off the bench in the provinces' 25–14 defeat against Bedford Blues in the 2017–18 British and Irish Cup.[6] He made his debut for Munster on 1 January 2018, coming on as a replacement for James Cronin in the 2017–18 Pro14 fixture against Ulster.[7] Loughman's contract was extended until the end of the 2017–18 season in April 2018,[8] before being extended again for the whole of the 2018–19 season.[9]

Loughman signed a one-year contract extension with Munster in December 2018.[10] Loughman made his Champions Cup debut for Munster on 9 December 2018, featuring off the bench in their 30–5 win against French pool 2 opponents Castres.[11] He scored his first try for Munster in their 31–12 win against Zebre on 23 March 2019.[12] In his first Champions Cup start for Munster, in their opening 2019–20 tournament pool 4 fixture against Welsh side Ospreys on 16 November 2019, Loughman won the Man-of-the-Match award and scored a try in the provinces 32–13 away win.[13]

Loughman signed a two-year contract with Munster in February 2020, a deal that will see him remain with the province until at least June 2022.[14] He earned his 50th cap for Munster in their 38–10 win against Ulster in round 2 of the Pro14 Rainbow Cup on 7 May 2021.[15] Loughman signed a two-year contract extension in January 2022,[16] and started in Munster's 19–14 win against the Stormers in the final of the 2022–23 United Rugby Championship on 27 May 2023.[17]

International career

Loughman received his first senior international call-up when he was brought into the Ireland squad by head coach Andy Farrell ahead of their Six Nations round 4 fixture against England in March 2022,[18] and was also selected in the squad for the 2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand.[19] Loughman made his first appearance for Ireland when he started in their uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks on 29 June, however, he was removed from the field in the first minute for a head injury assessment. Loughman appeared to display symptoms of concussion, but passed the assessment by an independent doctor and returned to the field, only to be removed permanently at half-time as a precaution. Progressive Rugby, who advocate for greater welfare in rugby, criticised the decision to allow Loughman to return to the field,[20] though Ireland head coach Andy Farrell defended the decision, insisting that Loughman passed the necessary tests but was removed at half-time in the best interests of Loughman himself.[21]

New Zealand Rugby later admitted that a "communications gap" was responsible for allowing Loughman to return to the field and that, as Loughman was displaying symptoms of concussion, the head injury assessment was not necessary, as World Rugby guidelines stipulate that a player displaying such symptoms be immediately removed from play.[22] Loughman was then ruled out of Ireland's first test against New Zealand on 2 July,[21] but returned to start in the second uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks on 12 July, which Ireland won 30–24 to draw the series 1–1.[23] Loughman started for Ireland A in their 47–19 defeat against an All Blacks XV on 4 November 2022,[24] and made his senior international debut for Ireland eight days later when he started in their 35–17 win against Fiji during the 2022 Autumn Nations Series.[25]

Despite initially missing out on selection, Loughman was called-up to Ireland's training squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches after provincial teammate Dave Kilcoyne sustained an injury,[26] and featured as a replacement in the 29–10 win against England on 19 August[27] and the 17–13 win against Samoa on 26 August[28] before being selected in Ireland's 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[29] He featured as a replacement in Ireland's opening 82–8 win against Romania on 9 September.[30]

Statistics

International analysis by opposition

AgainstPlayedWonLostDrawnTriesPoints% Won
1 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0
Total 4 4 0 0 0 0

Correct as of 9 September 2023

Honours

Munster

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Jeremy Loughman moving in the right direction as Ireland debut beckons. 10 November 2022. Irish Examiner. 13 November 2022.
  2. News: Jeremy Loughman ready for sizeable Under-20 challenge in Wales. 10 March 2015. Irish Times. 31 December 2017.
  3. News: Power pounces to steal it for teak-tough 'Rock. 19 March 2013. Irish Independent. 31 December 2017.
  4. News: Blackrock hold off sprited Clongowes in Senior Cup classic. 16 March 2015. The Irish Times. 31 December 2017.
  5. News: Munster A Named to Face Bedford Blues. 7 December 2017. Munster Rugby. 30 December 2017.
  6. News: Munster A Beaten By Bedford. 8 December 2017. Munster Rugby. 30 December 2017.
  7. News: Munster Suffer Defeat in Belfast. 1 January 2018. Munster Rugby. 2 January 2018.
  8. News: Player Contract Update. 10 April 2018. Munster Rugby. 10 April 2018.
  9. News: Squad Update. 30 May 2018. Munster Rugby. 30 May 2018.
  10. News: 12 Munster Players Sign Contract Extensions. 4 December 2018. Munster Rugby. 4 December 2018.
  11. News: Report Hanrahan Leads Munster To Castres Win. 9 December 2018. Munster Rugby. 9 December 2018.
  12. News: Report Bonus-Point Win For Munster Over Zebre. 23 March 2019. Munster Rugby. 24 March 2019.
  13. News: Report Last-Gasp Cronin Try Hands Munster Bonus Point Victory. 16 November 2019. Munster Rugby. 18 November 2019.
  14. News: Munster Trio Sign Contract Extensions. 20 February 2020. Munster Rugby. 20 February 2020.
  15. News: Report Bonus-Point Win For Munster Over Ulster. 7 May 2021. Munster Rugby. 8 May 2021.
  16. News: Further Boost For Munster Rugby On The Contract Front. 10 January 2022. Munster Rugby. 10 January 2022.
  17. News: Magical Munster see off Stormers to win URC title and end trophy drought. 27 May 2023. Irish Examiner. 27 May 2023.
  18. News: Loughman called up by Ireland as Henderson returns for England game. 7 March 2022. The42. 12 March 2022.
  19. News: Andy Farrell Names 40-Player Squad For New Zealand Tour. 14 June 2022. Munster Rugby. 17 June 2022.
  20. News: Jeremy Loughman's return to field concerning for rugby welfare group. 29 June 2022. Irish Examiner. 1 July 2022.
  21. News: Farrell insists Jeremy Loughman received proper care and treatment. 1 July 2022. Irish Examiner. 1 July 2022.
  22. News: New Zealand Rugby accepts Jeremy Loughman shouldn't have returned to play. 1 July 2022. Irish Examiner. 1 July 2022.
  23. News: Brilliant Ireland build on Saturday's win over the All Blacks with Maori scalp. 12 July 2022. The42. 16 July 2022.
  24. News: All Blacks XV tear up the RDS on a painful night for Farrell's Ireland A. 4 November 2022. The42. 12 November 2022.
  25. News: Timoney double helps Farrell's Ireland to scrappy win over 14-man Fiji. 12 November 2022. The42. 12 November 2022.
  26. News: Jeremy Loughman: Munster prop called into Ireland squad as Dave Kilcoyne rests injury. 16 August 2023. BBC Sport. 10 September 2023.
  27. News: Keith Earls marks century with a try as Ireland power past England. 19 August 2023. Irish Examiner. 10 September 2023.
  28. News: Disjointed Ireland scrape past Samoa but injury fears for Cian Healy. 26 August 2023. Irish Examiner. 10 September 2023.
  29. News: Farrell Names 33-Player Ireland Rugby World Cup Squad. 27 August 2023. Irish Rugby. 27 August 2023.
  30. News: Farrell's Ireland breeze to comfortable win over Romania in World Cup opener. 10 September 2023. Irish Examiner. 10 September 2023.