CIARÁN Roberts admits his move to play rugby in Portugal was a wildcard – but now, it’s paying off.
The Bandon man has signed with Lisbon club Agronomia, one of the top teams in the country, after impressing over two seasons with RC Lousã. His rise continues off the field too, as he's now a step closer to potentially lining out for the Portuguese national team in the coming years.
Roberts now has options to explore, proving there’s life outside Ireland for aspiring rugby players.
‘I left Ireland when I was 19 – I’m 24 now – after it didn’t work out for me with Munster,’ he says, having made his mark as a scrum-half on a Bandon Grammar School team that also featured current Ireland and Munster star Jack Crowley, and reached the Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-finals in 2019.
‘I was lucky to get an offer from Ealing Trailfinders in the Championship in England in 2020. That was my first taste of professional rugby. I spent three years there, didn’t get much game-time, and then I had a decision to make: will I stay or go?’
That’s when the opportunity to join RC Lousã in Portugal came up.
‘It was a bit daunting,’ he admits.
‘I didn’t know the language, but you need to embrace a new culture if you want to make it – and that’s what I did.
‘I met my girlfriend Carolina there – she’s Portuguese – and that helped a lot in learning the language and understanding the culture. Portuguese culture is amazing, but you need to adapt to it – and I did.
‘I’ve made a life for myself there now.’
Ciarán Roberts in action for Lousã in Portugal.
Roberts acknowledges that his willingness to move abroad to chase his dream has led him to this moment: joining Agronomia.
‘If it didn’t work out at Munster, I was ready to try somewhere else,’ he says, having trialled at U16 level and made the Munster junior squad. There was no fairy-tale ending.
‘I had a broader view – I wasn’t thinking it was the AIL or nothing. I was willing to move and see what happened,’ Roberts says.
‘Irish players are really sought-after abroad. We have only four professional teams, so if guys don’t make it at home, it’s not the end of the world – there are a lot of opportunities out there.
‘I know guys who’ve gone to England, France, Portugal, Spain – there are doors that open if you’re willing to move.’
The man from The Green in Bandon town now calls Portugal his home away from home. He didn’t know what to expect at RC Lousã – but it’s worked out better than imagined.
‘It’s a beautiful country, and I love playing rugby there,’ he says.
‘One thing I struggled with in England was how structured it was, whereas in Portugal it’s more fluid – you get the ball and go play rugby.’
Ciarán Roberts in action for Bandon RFC before moving abroad.
Roberts has found his groove in the Portuguese top flight, and a positional switch last season has opened another door for the West Cork man.
‘I had a really good season,’ he explains.
‘I was a nine last year, but the coach moved me to full-back/wing, and it went well – I scored a lot of tries, created a lot of opportunities and grabbed a few headlines.
‘I got a call then to say Agronomia were interested. Portugal’s coach from the Rugby World Cup is with them, so this is a great opportunity for me. If I didn’t take this contract, then the chances of possibly playing for Portugal would be very slim.’
Roberts knows there are no guarantees, and the stars will need to align in the seasons ahead, but the prospect of lining out internationally for Portugal exists. Under the residency rule, a player can represent a nation if they have resided there for 60 consecutive months (five years).
‘Now that I am going into my third year in Portugal, it means I have three more seasons to play before I become eligible,’ he explains.
‘It’s starting to become realistic because my team now has the most Portuguese internationals – it’s a shop window for me to show what I can do.
‘I’ll hopefully start training with the development team, the Lusitanos (a team primarily made up of players who are either playing in Portuguese leagues or are part of the Portuguese national team set-up), who play in the Rugby Europe Super Cup competition.
‘Rugby is such a short career, you need to make the most of opportunities. One minute you’re in, the next you’re out. Moving to Portugal has opened doors for me, and I am ambitious – I want to play at the highest level I can.
‘If the chance to wear the red jersey comes around, then why not?’
While Portuguese rugby fans would rather forget their latest international game – ironically, it was Roberts’ former team-mate Jack Crowley who pulled the strings in a record Irish win – they made headlines for the right reasons at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, stunning Fiji in a famous win.
Perhaps a future exists where two former Bandon Rugby Club and Bandon Grammar team-mates, Roberts and Crowley, line out in opposition at international level. But for now, it’s one season at a time, as Roberts looks to impress at Agronomia.
‘We’ll be back in pre-season in August,’ he explains, as he swaps Lousã in central Portugal for Lisbon. Expectation levels will rise too.
‘When you sign as a full-time professional foreigner, you have the pressure of needing to prove you’re worth the money. Next season, there will be even more pressure, but I’m moving to a team with a lot of quality, so that will help,’ adds Roberts, who is keeping himself busy off the pitch too.
‘I know rugby won't last forever, so I need a career afterwards,’ he says. He will soon start a master’s in Water Engineering for Development, studying online through Loughborough University.
‘Rugby gives me freedom – it’s a full-time job, but I have the opportunity to study as well.
‘There are different routes to explore, whether it’s with education or rugby – you just need to see them.
‘For me, it’s down to my parents – their support gave me the confidence to take opportunities and open new doors.’
That initial decision to leave West Cork to pursue his rugby career has paid off – with the hope of even more to come. Onwards and upwards.
