Trevor Brennan

Trevor Brennan

Trevor Brennan at De Danú, his own pub in Toulouse
Date of birth	22 September 1973 (1973-09-22)
Place of birth	Leixlip, Ireland
Height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight	17 st 5 lb (110 kg)
Occupation(s)	Owner of the bar De Danu in Toulouse
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Second row or Flanker
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002-2007 2001-2002	Stade Toulousain Barnhall Bective Rangers St Marys College RFC	98	(20)
correct as of 2007-03-13.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1996-2001	Leinster Rugby
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1998-2001	Ireland	13	(0)
correct as of 2007-03-13.

Trevor Brennan (born 22 September 1973, Leixlip, Ireland) is a former rugby union player for Barnhall, Bective Rangers, St Marys College RFC, Leinster Rugby, Stade Toulousain and Ireland; being capped 13 times. He played either in the second row or as a flanker.

Trevor captained St Mary's College RFC to their only AIB League title in 2000. He began his career with Barnhall.

After leaving Leinster for Stade Toulousain, Brennan fell out of favour with the Irish national team. He subsequently went on to play in three back to back European Cup finals as part of the Stade Toulousain team, with two wins (Perpingnan 2003, Stade Français 2005) and one defeat (against Wasps 2004).

Ireland

Brennan made his debut for the senior Ireland team in a 13-37 defeat against South Africa on 13 June 1998 and went on to make 13 test appearances, including the 1999 Rugby World Cup. It was during this tournament that Brennan's abrasive image was tested, after an on-pitch fight with Australian number 8 Toutai Kefu, who was aided by two teammates who held Brennan's arms back.

Coaching and life in Toulouse

Following retirement from professional rugby in 2007 Trevor and family have remained in Toulouse. Trevor currently coaches the Toulouse Crabos B under 18 team and owns the De Danu Irish Bar in Toulouse. "Trevor Brennan Diaries", written by Gerry Thornley appear occasionally in the Irish Times, and Brennan sometimes appears on television as commentator for various rugby events including the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Incident and Retirement

Brennan announced his retirement on 3 March 2007, after an incident during a Toulouse v Ulster match on 21 January 2007. Brennan jumped into a section of the crowd housing Ulster supporters at the Stade Ernest Wallon and repeatedly struck Ulster fan Patrick Bamford. Trevor alleged afterwards that abuse towards his mother triggered his reaction. In their investigation of the incident European Rugby found no such abuse took place. They found that Brennan was being baited over the standard of the bar he co-owns in Toulouse.

For this attack, he was fined £17,000, ordered to pay £3,000 compensation to Bamford and was banned for life from playing rugby.[3]

An appeal of this decision was heard in June 2007, before an ERC-appointed, independent appeals committee, where the ban was reduced to a 5-year suspension. It was held that the life ban was 'disproportionate' to the offence. Bamford's recollection of events were recorded in the Independent Appeal Committee Decision's statement

Sports Book Award

In 2007 Brennan won the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year Award for his book Heart and Soul. The book, which was ghost-written by Gerry Thornley, a senior Irish Times journalist, depicts Brennan from his time growing up in Leixlip and playing for Barnhall right through to his time at Toulouse where he won two European Cups before his eventual five-year ban from rugby following an assault on an Ulster fan during a game.

International Rules - Coaching role

In 2008 Trevor Brennan and rugby national fitness coach Mike McGurn, were part of the Ireland International rules football coaching staff in the International rules match series with Australia. Both Brennan and McGurn had played Gaelic Football in their youth were invited by the Irish manager Seán Boylan and the GAA to give their expertise from Rugby which would be useful in the game which is a compromise between Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football.

External links

• Ireland profile