Although Jarrad Butler is aware of the competitive nature of professional rugby and its potential effects, he does not hide the fact that he was taken aback when Connacht told him he would not receive a contract offer following the previous season.
It took some time for the painful truth to sink in. Butler’s relationship with Connacht ended after seven years.
Butler took a risk when he moved to Galway from Canberra in 2017, but he quickly rose to become one of the team’s most admired leaders.
It was no small feat to succeed a club legend such as John Muldoon as captain. But it said volumes about how well Butler was regarded when Andy Friend handed the job over to his fellow Australian just a year after he joined the province.
Maybe that’s what made it so hard to release him after 130 games.
I was a little taken aback at first,” Butler tells the Irish Independent. However, you could see how your position was developing as other players entered and the back row was constructed; you could almost see the writing on the wall.
I felt like there was a chance they might not have space for me in that back-row, but I was a little bit surprised. But sitting here reflecting on it, I can see where they were coming from and there aren’t any hard feelings or anything like that.
“When they first tell you, ‘We are not looking to keep you on’, it is tough but it’s definitely one of those things where you have to sit back and think about it properly – not get too caught up in the emotion of it.
“The hardest part of being a sports person is guys are always moving. In Connacht, we are one of those teams with a pretty high turnover of players and it can be tough to stick around, but once you understand that is the nature of the business to a certain extent and also everyone in those positions making those decisions have got the very best intentions.
They are not trying to screw anyone over. They are just trying to make the very best rugby team they can. You have to appreciate where they are coming from.
Would I like to have stayed? Yeah. But then I also understand that it gets to a stage where that becomes a little bit harder. I am really proud of the career I have had over the last 12 years in Australia and over here. I don’t have any regrets.”
Back in May, when Connacht confirmed Butler was one of a plethora of players being let go, there was no mention of whether he was joining another club or calling it a day. Three months later, Butler is happy to clarify his current situation.
At the moment, I have just decided to kinda finish up. I haven’t officially retired, I’ve been going about things and planning things, just assuming I’m not playing anymore.
“I’ve got a manager looking around in case something pops up. If the right opportunity came up, then for sure I would have a look at it – a [medical] joker or an opportunity that I think would fit. It would need to be something I felt I could get something out of it, that’s the main thing. But for the time being, I’ve just started focusing on life after rugby really.
“When we spoke with Connacht and they said there wasn’t a place there anymore, I had a really good sit down. I spoke with family and friends and thought about what the plan was, and whether I was really going to try [and] chase it to get to another team or whether I was going to start thinking about life after rugby. It just felt like a good time to start focusing on that a bit more.
Like I said, if something came up which seemed like a really good opportunity then I probably would have gone for it. But in saying that, I was comfortable with the idea of finishing up as well.”
It helps that Butler has other interests besides playing rugby. As well as setting up his own skincare business Sportskn, which former team-mates Bundee Aki and Niyi Adeolokun have come on board with as partners, Butler is also coaching.
He first dipped his toe into the coaching world with the Galwegians women’s team three years ago before he joined the men’s senior set-up. ‘Wegians are playing in Division 2B Energia All-Ireland League (AIL) this season, with Butler set to take on more responsibility for the forwards and defence. He laughs at the idea of a player/coach role, but unless he gets itchy feet around Christmas, Butler’s playing days look numbered.
“I love rugby, so I really enjoy the coaching side of it as well,” he says.
“It’s something I’m trying to pursue at a high level. I’m really enjoying coaching Galwegians, particularly this year because I have got more time, so I can really get into it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 12 months bring.”
Butler will go down as one of Connacht’s most influential overseas signings. Born in Wellington, his family moved to the Gold Coast when he was 13, but little did he know that Galway would become home for such an important period of his life.
I came here not knowing what to expect,” he smiles. “I didn’t do a lot of research into Ireland or Galway in particular. At first, it was a culture shock, but over the seven years I have been here, there was never a time where I missed Australia or missed home.
I think that is because of the community around us – not just in the organisation, my team-mates and coaching staff have been brilliant, but the community in general. It’s one of those places where they love their rugby.
I have countless examples of just walking down the prom or into a coffee shop and you end up having a five/10-minute chat with a fan because that’s what they want to do – they want to talk rugby and see how things are going.
“It made the whole transition of moving over really easy, so I’m so grateful for that and for the networking I have been able to create as well.
“That’s why, finishing up, I want to spend more time in Galway because I feel like I have made a lot of valuable connections here, and I wouldn’t want to head back to Australia and feel like I am missing some opportunities over here.”
The ties that bind will forever remain, and while Butler is no longer part of the Connacht dressing room, he is kept in the loop by his housemate Cian Prendergast.
He will miss the buzz of running out in front of a packed Sportsground, but Butler is optimistic about the season ahead, as he begins the transition from Connacht stalwart to supporter
