Horwitz returns from Irish stint
Australian rugby’s highest profile Jewish player David Horwitz arrived back home in Sydney earlier this month, and has already jumped into Shute Shield action.
AFTER starting his professional rugby career as a teenager for Randwick in the Shute Shield, Australia’s highest profile rugby union player David Horwitz – who played 27 Super Rugby games for the NSW Waratahs in 2016 and 2017 – has returned to where everything started.
Fresh from a two-year stint playing for Irish Pro 14 powerhouse club the Connacht Eagles, Horwitz returned to his home city of Sydney in early July, and after two weeks of quarantine, he was welcomed back into Randwick’s first grade squad, and played full games as fly-half in their round one and two wins over newcomers Newcastle and last year’s grand finalists Warringah on July 18 and 25.
In Ireland, Horwitz was utilised by Connacht head coach Andy Friend mainly off the bench.
“Although I didn’t play in as many games as I’d hoped there, Connacht had a very strong squad that included Irish fly-half Jack Carty,” Horwitz said.
“But on the plus side, you always learn from playing and training with the best players – that’s always going to be more beneficial to your ongoing growth.
“The wet weather in Ireland and the UK also meant adapting to a very different style of rugby, built on gaining possession through kicking more than running.
“So it was definitely a transition to adapt to that style, but it is something that was good to experience.
“And now I have a great affection for the city of Galway and its people, so I will definitely visit that part of Ireland again.”
Horwitz, 25, said while it is a challenging time to be off-contract, “it’s so great to be welcomed back at Randwick, where I’m just aiming to play my best for the team and keep match fit”.
“Hopefully that will lead to opportunities to play professional rugby again, either here in Australia or overseas.”
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