Ex-rugby legend Shane Byrne sixth celeb to join Dancing With The Stars
EX-rugby star Shane Byrne is the sixth celebrity announced for Dancing with the Stars.
Nicknamed ‘the Mullet’ or ‘Munch’ due to his distinctive hairstyle, the 45-year-old told how he's excited about the new challenge.
He said: "I'm really looking forward to hitting the dance floor on Dancing with the Stars in January!
"It's not like anything I've ever done before - it's a long way from the rugby pitch - but I'll give it my all and I know I'll have a lot of fun along the way."
The retired international rugby star revealed how the celebs taking part in the sixth season of DWTS had already taken part in a group
rehearsal together.
Shane said: "Panti (Rory O'Neill) is amazing. He himself is brilliant but in character she is fantastic and she is doing it in character because
she has been doing that role all her life.
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"There is a great set of people on the show. We did a group rehearsal which was impressive because we had been doing a bit of rehearsing and dancing on our own.
"But then the professionals did their dances, and we all realised we didn't have a clue."
The sports star followed Irish rugby union player Jordan Conroy who took part last season, Shane said: "Jordan would be a bit fleeter
of foot than I would be.
"There would be a few more pounds in my step, so I'm going to have to find a different way around the dancefloor."
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He joked: "All the previous rugby players on (DWTS) have been backs, I'm a forward so you have a real rugby player doing the show now."
Shane, who works for Bord Na Mona and plans to get up earlier to fit in work and training, said it was his wife Caroline and twin daughters
Alex and Kerry who persuaded him to take up an offer to dance on the show.
He told Jennifer Zamperelli on her 2fm show: "I didn't have a choice when I came home with the news that I'd been asked. My wife and twin daughters said you're doing it because there are different dresses we can wear to the show.
"My family all want tickets."
He added: "Since my rugby days I keep myself reasonably fit but this is more twirling around than running around. If I'm going make a fool
of myself, I might as well enjoy it.
"My instructor is very strict and insists you have to be learning and making progress with the dance."
The weekend saw former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy join drag icon Panti Bliss, Eurovision singer Brooke Scullion, GAA ace Paul
Brogan and glam influencer Suzanne Jackson on the new DWTS line-up.
Shane previously took part in Charity You’re A Star, Celebrity Come Dine with Me Ireland and even appeared in Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie.
He was also a captain on Know The Score sports quiz on RTÉ.
The Wicklow man played his club rugby in Blackrock and then made over 100 appearances for Leinster, hitting his century in February 2003.