Andrew Porter pays tribute to ex-Ireland international who has quit game for 'mental health' reasons
Moore began his career Leinster (2013-16) before moving to Wasps (2016-18) and, latterly, returning to Ulster (2018-24) for whom he made a total of 94 appearances.
Andrew Porter has paid tribute to former Ireland tight-head Marty Moore who retired from professional rugby a fortnight back citing mental health reasons.
The current Ireland star can remember being 'humbled' while an Academy prop by Moore, now 33, on a regular occasions. Moreover the younger man, lessons learned, would go on to emulate Moore in later years, playing in the front-row in all five games on an Ireland Six Nations winning team.
"I was in the sub academy when Marty was here, before he went to Wasps. I remember scrumming against him." says Porter.
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"Fogs (John Fogarty) was the scrum coach here at the time and he called me up from the sub academy to scrum against Marty or Tadhg (Furlong) or Rossy (Mike Ross) at the time. I just remember getting my arse handed to me.
"They were down a loosehead at the time so I’d get the call from Fogs. I’d be thinking, ‘I could be getting my arse handed to me again.’ I would be coming up from Donnybrook with Dave Fagan, walking through the little housing estate and into Thornfields.
"Marty humbled me fairly quickly. I tried to get one over on him one day and he wasn’t having it."
Moore began his career Leinster (2013-16) before moving to Wasps (2016-18) and, latterly, returning to Ulster (2018-24) for whom he made a total of 94 appearances.
"Yeah he was definitely putting in the minutes. It’s tough that he has had to retire. It is the best thing for him mentally and his family.
"I know it is for mental health reasons. That’s one of the most important decisions that you can make. It’s an incredibly brave decision to make as well, publicly to come out and say that for his mental health.
"It’s something that we are seeing a lot more from rugby players. Owen Farrell took a step back from international rugby for mental health reasons as well. You see how people respect that decision.
"They know it is for the good of the player, the good of his family.
"As rugby players you spend so much time away from family. I am in a great place, I love what I am doing but it could be completely different for someone with a family. They might not get to see their family very much.
"I personally don’t know the situation but from a mental health side of things it is great to see him taking the best steps."
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