AJ PLANS TO DRAW ON PUB KNOW-HOW...
V Sale
Racing 92
NEIL SQUIRES
SALE stand-off AJ MacGinty is banking on his past experiences as a New York barman helping him thrive in the unique setting of Racing 92’s La Defense Arena in today’s Champions Cup quarter-final.
Playing rugby in the Parisians’ 30,000-capacity indoor venue has been likened to performing in a nightclub – and Sale have been training with disco lights and pumping music for what the USA captain rates as his biggest game during his six years at the club.
But Dublin-born MacGinty has an even closer comparison to fall back on from his time mixing mojitos in Manhattan.
“It’s my 10-year anniversary of being a bartender in New York City. A lot has changed,” MacGinty said.
“It was the Pig and Whistle on 56th and 3rd Street.
“There were a lot of businesses and hotels around the area and it stayed open until 4am, so it was pretty lively at times.
“Good DJ, good music, good food, good bartenders there too.
“I was thinking I would stay in New York. My dad was saying I needed to get out of the pub and focus on my studies or do something else. I ended up going down
BT Sport, Today, 3pm
They throw big parties at the La Defense Arena so
I’ll be used to it
to Atlanta to study, playing there and then getting the offer from Pat Lam to come to Connacht – but it was a good time.
“They throw big parties at the La Defense Arena so I’ll be used to it.”
It will be MacGinty’s first involvement since injuring his knee against Gloucester eight weeks ago and one of his last before he departs to Bristol in the summer – part of an overhaul which will also see Springbok stars Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager move on from Sale.
“A big thing for me is that it’s my last few months at the club,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of lads here for many years.
“For me that means a lot and in terms of our cohesion on the pitch that should add a lot as well.
“That’s really important in these sorts of games. For all of us it’s a huge game.”
Sale are attempting to go one step further than last season when they were beaten 45-21 by La Rochelle.
“We came out pretty much like bulls, saw red, didn’t have any joy and then fell away,” said MacGinty.
“If that happens again we can’t get disheartened.”