Compiled by JOHNNY WATTERSON
Hall of Fame
UNTIL LAST month the legendary Jack Kyle was the only Irish player who was included in the IRB Hall of Fame. But last month that was put to rights when Tony O'Reilly, Willie John McBride and Syd Millar were all inducted at a special ceremony in Rugby school. They join a motley crew of inductees that includes Baron de Courbertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games and William Webb Ellis.
Irish rugby shows strong standing
A RECENT poll showed that Ireland’s Grand Slam win, Leinster’s European Cup triumph and Brian O’Driscoll, the player, all rate at the top of the public’s list of biggest sports figures and best moments of the year. That currently puts rugby ahead of football and GAA.
However, in Australia, Rugby Union has slipped to fourth behind Australian Rules, Rugby League and soccer in the rating stakes. Australian rugby is hoping the new franchise based in Melbourne will help their case. Who will coach the new Super Rugby franchise is yet to be decided. Is this the final year of Michael Cheika’s term with Leinster?
Analyse this, Sheahan-style
“HOW COULD a paid professional hooker possibly throw the ball in crooked?” said former Ireland hooker Frankie Sheahan, with tongue firmly in cheek, commentating on the match between South Africa and France on Friday night.
Sheahan is an excellent analyst, particularly at scrum time, even if he did suggest that France, who were winning with five minutes to go, should grind it out “Munster style” until the end.
Within seconds of giving that opinion the French had spun the ball out wide and gone looking for another try. Viva la différence.
No longer propping up green
FORMER TRINITY prop and Ireland underage player Paul Doran Jones (pictured below) made an appearance at the weekend – for England. The frontrow, who played Ireland under-21 in green is now an England senior international with less than 300 minutes of Premiership rugby under his belt. Teenager Kieran Brookes, who Leinster sent to New Zealand for further improvement and played underage for Ireland, is now a tight head prop with Newcastle and the England under 20s, while Callum Black, born in the US and an Irish underage player, is with Worcester Warriors. Prop John Andress was with Ulster and is another Ireland under-age player with Harlequins. Shortage? Props galore it seems.
As the bodies hit the floor
IRELAND HAD a taste of what is to come in a couple of weeks time when the Springboks arrive in Croke Park. A battle of bodies over the first 20 minutes in the tourists’ match against France in Toulouse, insured that three players – South Africa’s Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield and French fullback, Damian Traille – were all attended to by their medical teams for blood injuries. Botha was off twice for attention, which made replacement second row Andries Bekker’s life relatively busy. He was on the pitch three times, once for Matfield and twice for Botha.
Italy set out to impress
ITALY APPEARED to pull out the stops for their match against New Zealand – all but the most important one of beating the All Blacks. As soon as the New Zealand team arrived in Italy they were treated to typical Italian hospitality. Ma’a Nonu, Anthony Boric, Mils Muliana and Andrew Hore appeared all over the Italian press being spoon fed all types of goodies by a coterie of enthusiastic models. The Berlusconi-flavoured attention was enhanced by the fact that the sexy San Siro soccer stadium in Milan was handed over to the Italian federation for the match.
