Carty carving out some new challenges after rugby retirement

Jack Carty is used to chasing points but these days the former Connacht out-half has his sights set on fulfilling his potential off the pitch having called time on his professional playing days in May.

The Athlone native confirmed his retirement from professional rugby in March of this year, bringing to end a 15-year association with the province and closing the book on a playing career which saw him become Connacht’s record points scorer (1,260 in 231 appearances) and win 11 caps for Ireland. As one chapter of his professional career closes, a new one awaits.

In 2024, Carty, along with leading physician and former Connacht team doctor, Dr Alan Farrell, launched Cognitive Blends, a supplement range which provides natural solutions to enhance mental and physical wellness. In 2025, together with business partner and Castledaly native Fergal Hynes, he opened the first of three Project Padel locations in Galway. Two further Project Padel centres have since opened in Ballina, Co. Mayo and in Mullingar.

Not content with building on his existing business projects, the former Marist College student has decided to join the family business, Carty Meats, where he hopes to “add value” to the successful Monksland based company.

As he looks to what the future may hold, Carty reflects on his playing career where he took great pride in representing the green jersey of Connacht from his debut in 2012 to his final appearance against Munster in 2026.

However, a professional career with the oval ball did not always seem his preferred choice. A talented Gaelic footballer with St Brigid’s, Carty represented Roscommon at minor level. The 34-year-old was also capped for the Republic of Ireland in soccer at underage level such was his sporting prowess.

That love for rugby developed as a student in the Marist College and as a young player with Buccaneers, his coaches playing a significant role in his aspiration to forge a career in professional rugby.

“My underage coaches sowed the seeds that enabled me to grow towards playing for my province and country and without their guidance such a rewarding professional career would not have been possible,” Carty said.

Focusing on rugby is a decision Carty would not regret. The Barrymore native was still a member of the Connacht academy when he made his debut for the province’s first team as a replacement for Gavin Duffy against Glasgow Warriors in what was then the Pro12 League in September 2012.

However, despite his progression, the out-half would have to wait until January 2014 to make his first start for Connacht when, as a 21-year-old, he was named to start against Leinster. That same year, as his burgeoning talent became apparent, he signed his first professional contract with the province.

Carty described signing his first professional contract as a “sense of fulfillment”. He had achieved his initial target of signing a professional contract with his native province, but the challenge of maintaining a prominent presence in the first team was now a fresh goal.

Chosen as Connacht’s first choice out-half at the start of the 2014/15 season, Carty was soon making an impact as a playmaker. An injury forced him to miss Connacht’s Pro12 success at the end of the 2016 season, but he was now making regular point scoring contributions as his Connacht career started to flourish.

That talent was further nurtured when Andy Friend was appointed Connacht head coach in 2018. Carty said Friend’s appointment coincided with his most “in flow” moments as a professional rugby player.

“Under Andy we became more competitive as a team, winning away games against quality opposition on a more regular basis. Such was the belief he instilled in the team,” Carty said.

In January, 2021, seven years to the day of his first start with Connacht, he contributed 25 points to the province’s historic win over Leinster in a Pro14 league game. It was Connacht’s first win in Dublin since 2002 and his personal points haul remains the most scored by a player against Leinster in a competitive fixture.

Prior to achieving that personal record, Carty’s talent finally received international recognition when then Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt selected him in his 2019 Six Nations rugby squad. Carty had reached the pinnacle of his sport.

“When you step onto a pitch to represent your province, you always dream that some day you might have the opportunity to switch the green of Connacht for the green of Ireland. I was in a good vein of form when I received my first international call up and was honoured to make by debut for Ireland against Italy during that Six Nations campaign,” Carty said.

His joy at being selected for Ireland was tempered by the fact that Johnny Sexton was the outright first choice for all international tests. However, Carty said, that working alongside Sexton, allowed him to add elements of the Leinster player’s repertoire to his own game.

“It was always going to be difficult to dislodge Johnny from his out-half position, so it was just a case of chiseling out a role as his second in command. That was ultimately my aim going in to each Ireland camp and being in a position to perform to the highest level when called upon,” Carty said.

Playing for Ireland, Carty said, was another “step up” in playing standard but he never felt out of place at that level.

“Collisions are 15-20 per cent more intense than at provincial level. Space is at a premium, time on the ball is precious and you have to adapt your role as a ‘10’, occasionally adopting a more pragmatic approach in the role when you were selected to play,” Carty said.

Making his Six Nations debut in a World Cup year augured well for Carty and he was duly selected in the Ireland squad for the 2019 tournament in Japan.

Unfortunately, for many the chief memory of that campaign was Ireland’s 19-12 loss to the World Cup hosts Japan, in a Pool A game in which Carty started in his customary out-half berth.

The criticism which followed was well documented in the aftermath. While it was difficult to take, Carty said that loss encouraged him to “reinvent” his game.

“The game itself was incredibly frustrating and of course if I could go back, there are so many aspects of my game which I would have changed on the day,” a reflective Carty said.

Confidence was not an issue for Carty prior to the World Cup, but in the face of national criticism, he took time to reset and develop his mental mindset.

“In such situations you learn about yourself as a professional athlete and a person. Thankfully, I came through that particular phase of my career with a more positive mindset which remained with me to the close of my career,” Carty added.

Carty represented his country on 11 occasions earning his final cap against France in the 2022 Six Nations. It was his first selection for the Ireland rugby squad since the World Cup fallout in 2019.

Jack felt his game was still at a “high standard” and he credits his ability to “bounce back” from the Japan loss and enhance certain aspects of his game as the reason for his international recall.

“I was confident that I could make a significant impact in all games with Connacht and such was my form that I truly believed that our opposition couldn’t plan for me,” Carty added.

That form continued with Connacht with whom he signed a contract extension until the end of the 2024/25 season. Although there were offers to play in England and France during his career, he opted to stay with Connacht until his retirement in May.

“Yes, there were contract offers from Leicester Tigers and Clermont in France, but I was always drawn to the close knit community which Connacht rugby represents. It would have been extremely difficult to leave when I was enjoying my rugby,” Carty added.

Although he harboured thoughts of retirement at the end of the 2025 season, the appointment of Stuart Lancaster to the role of Connacht head coach spurred him on to remain on for one more campaign.

“Stuart came in at the end of the 2025 season and I jumped at the opportunity to play for him. The one year contract offered by the club worked for me and my family. I have to say I really had a happy final year with Connacht,” Carty added.

Carty’s growth and rise to prominence as a player with Connacht has been replicated by the province’s development of state-of-the-art training and playing facilities at the former Sportsground.

The Dexcom Stadium in Galway was formerly opened in January of this year, Carty playing the final quarter of the venue’s inaugural game at Connacht rugby’s headquarters.

“When I started playing with Connacht such were the facilities that our gym couldn’t hold more than ten players at one time. Now, there is a gym that can cater for 40 players at one time and a stadium that can accommodate 12,000 spectators. With the upgrade of training and playing facilities, the future certainly looks positive for the province,” Carty stated.

Carty is now applying that positivity to his business career. Cognitive Blends stemmed from bloodwork Carty had taken in 2023. Not happy with his hormone readings, Carty went into a “deep rabbit hole” to determine how he could develop a wellness supplement which could benefit his playing career.

Upon extensive research, ThriveOne (available in Athlone outlets, McSharry’s Pharmacy and Elverys) was launched aimed at providing men with a solution to optimising their hormones.

“Declining testosterone levels amongst men is accelerating. Men today have 50 per cent less testosterone than those of the same age 50 years ago,” Carty said.

According to Carty, many of the solutions readily available for men remain expensive and come with their own side effects, prompting him to launch a “natural alternative” featuring ingredients that “directly or indirectly optimise men’s hormones”.

A second business opportunity arrived in July 2024, when a chance conversation with his neighbour Fergal Hynes saw both craft a business plan which eventually materialised in 2025 with the opening of the pair’s first padel courts at the Corrib Retail Centre in Galway city.

Carty described Project Padel as “one of the best adventures” he has been on to date.

“Initially, we wanted to open one Project Padel, now we have three throughout the country. We hope to have the opportunity to open a further Project Padel where our roots are in the future, so watch this space,” Carty added.

Over five months since he last donned a Connacht jersey, Carty said he misses the “connection” with his former teammates and of course, the fans, who he described as “one big family”.

“You definitely miss all those you’d meet with on a day-to-day basis, but I believe that I finished at the right time. I got every drop I could from rugby, it gave me great memories, but now is time to see what pastures new the future holds,” Carty concluded.