Brian Carney is a former professional rugby player hailing Ireland. He has played for several clubs including the Warrington Wolves, Gateshead Thunder, Wigan Warriors and the Newcastle Knights. Carney, a favourite among entertainment agencies, is now serving the sport as a charismatic rugby commentator and presenter who is available for both private and corporate events as an after dinner speaker.
Carney was born in Cork, Ireland and started his amateur career with the Dublin Blues. After impressing many clubs with his performance with the Irish Students in a home international tournament in 1998, he received a number of offers from Super League clubs and eventually signed with Gateshead Thunder in 1999, playing with them for a season.
Carney progressed to the Wigan Warriors at the close of the 2000 season and stood out in his new team earning the attention of members of the Wigan board, praising the teamwork and friendship focused dynamic at the club. He renewed his contract with the club in the spring of 2003 stating his desire to “…to get better and better each week and keep my place in the first team.” That same year, Carney was included in the 2003 Super League ‘Dream Team’ as being voted BBC North West’s Rugby League Player of the Year. Additionally, Carney became the first Irishman to play for Great Britain since Tom McKinney in 1957, in the First Test match at JJB Stadium, and he scored two tries. Although, Carney was plagued with injuries at this stage of his career at Wigan, he defied his injuries in 2004 to play in the Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament, making the final against Australia.
2005 was a period of transition for Carney and upon joining the new National Rugby League, he briefly joined the Australian team the Gold Coast Titans, and then returned to the Warriors once more. Upon being released from his contract, something Carney was keen to do, he spent a season with the Newcastle Knights and scored 16 tries in 26 games.
When he made the switch to rugby union, Carney played for Munster, debuting for the team is an away game against Ulster at Ravenhill in 2007, and scoring a try in the 76th minute. Carney’s international career continued to flourish and he was selected for the Irish squad in the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup and participated in the Dubai World Cup Sevens. He returned to rugby league in 2009, and joined the Warrington Wolves. It would be at this club that Carney would play his final matches. Carney made a smooth transition into rugby league commentating upon his retirement. Carney remains a passionate advocate of rugby, commenting that: “The game should be proud of its origins. The roots are fantastic, and we should also be thankful that the games are played where they are because those areas just happen to have what I believe to be the ‘ideal’ character to have to play this game of Rugby League.” He covered the 2009 Super League Grand Final and the 2009 Gillette Four Nations tournament and became one of the lead presenters when Sky Sports began covering Gallic football. To this day he makes frequent appearances on both the Sky Sports network and its website.
To make a booking enquiry about Brian Carney, please contact celebrity booking agency MN2S Talent Agency.