Good post.
Thanks m8.
I think he was hurt cos he wasn’t playing.
They are professional sportsmen GMan, if they weren’t hurt we’d win nothing.
Thats cool T’trotts mate.
GMan your full of shit. This is what O’ Gara said. More than fair enough. And don’t say you were ball hopping.
RONAN O’GARA last night revealed the depth of his hurt at being dropped for Ireland’s clash with world champions South Africa last November.
Coach Declan Kidney sensationally selected young tyro Jonathan Sexton for the meeting with the Springboks, leaving O’Gara to kick his heels on the replacements bench.
The out-half admitted he had been especially anxious to face Peter de Villiers’ side in an effort to exorcise the demons of his late penalty concession which cost the Lions the second test – and the series – in Pretoria last summer.
He said: "There was one thing in my head after the summer and that was the one game I wanted to play in.
“It was the big game and the one everyone was talking about; the one I knew we were going to win. I didn’t get that opportunity and that was disappointing,” he said.
"Being dropped hurt; it was very disappointing and always is, especially if you care about the team so much.
"That has always been my mantra because I believe that if the team goes well, the 10 goes well, and I have been lucky in the last decade with so many good teams.
“Obviously if you’re going to be consistently around for 10 years, you are bound to have both sides of the coin but I have been very lucky and I’m grateful to all the teams I played with.”
But O’Gara is back in the cockpit and having impressed against Italy in the champions’ opener at Croke Park on Saturday, he aims to continue in that trend this weekend as Ireland go in search of a first win in Paris in a decade.
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.ie/sport/ogara-bouncing-back-from-boks-bombshell-111806.html#ixzz0f9WuYljh
RONAN O’GARA goes into his 95th international against France on Saturday vowing: “I know I can get better.”
The Munster out-half held off the challenge of Jonathan Sexton for the trip to Paris, with his Leinster rival included among an extended substitutes list as Ireland coach Declan Kidney keeps his options open pending various fitness issues to be resolved over the next two days.
And O’Gara, who kicked six from six as part of an impressive all-round performance in Ireland’s 29-11 victory over Italy at Croke Park last weekend, says he is determined to keep improving.
“I know I can get better. If I thought I couldn’t, it’s not much good,” said the 32-year-old.
“You have to know you can because that’s what’s required to be part of a winning Munster team or a winning Ireland team.”
Sexton’s emergence has given Kidney two quality options in the key playmaker’s position and it was the Leinster man who was selected for Ireland’s seminal November victory over world champions South Africa – a decision that O’Gara says hurt badly and strengthened his determination to re-establish himself at No 10.
“There was one thing in my head after the summer and that was to try and beat South Africa so that was the one game I wanted to play in,” said O’Gara.
“Jonny did well, so that hurts. But you move on. It seems like a long time ago now but I think it’s still fresh enough to keep me highly motivated. I can take the rough – and by God there has been some rough times – but you have to dig in and believe in yourself, keep coming back for more,” he added.
Ireland have left a vacancy open at blindside flanker for Ulster’s Stephen Ferris, who is undergoing fitness tests on the knee injury that ruled him out last weekend.
If he fails to recover in time, Kevin McLaughlin will play in his stead after making his debut against Italy, while Leinster’s Leo Cullen continues in the second row as Donncha O’Callaghan is again ruled out with a leg injury.
In the backline, Kidney has made one change with Keith Earls coming onto the left wing for Andrew Trimble, who is included among the replacements.
France name their team today but will definitely be without wings Aurelien Rougerie and Benjamin Fall who started their 18-9 win against Scotland last Sunday together with replacement prop Luc Ducalcon.
Coach Marc Lievremont has strong options to come in on the wing between Clermont’s Julien Malzieu and Toulouse pair Maxime Medard and Vincent Clerc – who has scored seven tries in his five appearances against Ireland.
- Hugh Farrelly
Irish Independent
fook you kev!
Jonny did well, so that hurts.
So if a team is supposed to take collective responsibility when they lose like the lads have outlined, is O’Gara not being a team player in speaking individually about being hurt? He wanted a crack at the South Africans to make up for the Lions. Sure Ronan, you’ve messed up so we’ll automatically give you another chance.
Tell me this - who is responsible for the Lions losing the second test?
Never mind the 2nd test. O Gara lost the series for the British Lions.
And he lookin’ so Kool with hands in pockets for the Queen. What a Prat!
Not necessarily a bad thing in the scheme of things. In fairness they had a shit captain in those test matches.
- I would have had Brady ahead of Best so though don’t see how that can be interpreted as biased.
- Boss is on his way to Leinster so not really concerened about his provincial future. He is form Irish scrumhalf without doubt though.
- Henry has played best rugby of his career in last few months. He deserved at the very least to be in original team to play Saxons imo.
- Success in Europe and National selection don’t always go together. We won European Cup in 1999 and still only had three Six Nations starters. To be perfectly honest though we didn’t have quality to have many more. I genuinely believe some of the above have necessary quality though.
I do as well, but you were throwing them in at the wrong time. Henry is a serious prospect. Brady i have only seen bits of, but its hard to imagine he’s better than Best, at least not yet. I think Best is a fine player, and very unlucky to have Flannery around, who maybe suits us a little more. But i would say they are equal in an overall sense.
Best hasn’t played rugby for so long that thought made more sense to put Brady in who has been excellent this season. Will be good tussle for hooker spot in coming months with Ulster anyway
What is the opinion of those with rugby pedigree on here on Jerry Flannery? He seems decent at throwing in the ball which even though it is a very simple skill someone like Frankie Sheehan and his inhaler couldnt manage it for about 10 years. But he ain’t that great at scrum time it seems, plus his impact carrying the ball is neglible. He is nearly always knocked back on his hole. A trait he shares with another prominent member of the Irish forwards who makes pretty much no yardage when he goes on a run (POC).
Nah, that’s not true. He’s not a great scummager by all accounts (and Best makes an appreciable difference when he’s there) but Flannery is a solid and prominent ball-carrier which is why he’s first choice for Ireland really. Every team needs at least one front rower who can carry the ball. With the emergence of Healy there’s less reliance on Flannery for Ireland (and Jackman has been conveniently discarded by Leinster at the same timeframe) but Flannery is filling that role for Ireland at the moment. And it’s something he’s quite good at.
Some of the experts on here are gas.
Firstly Kev - didn’t realise that Paul O’Connell dropped a ball and thought he missed a tackle and called for Ireland’s greatest ever rugby player to be dropped last year. That removes all credibility you have on any rugby topic.
Second of all, MBB. From Laois - the home of rugby. Has a very condescending tone when it comes to the sport and only seems to add comment like ‘aren’t they all legends’.
I would have though bringing up O’Connell’s dropped ball in response to Kev’s argument for not considering Wallace on the basis of him nearly cost us a Grand Slam due to an error was reasonable, but apparently it shows that I never played sport at a serious level.
Unlike the greatest sports star Laois has produced of course.
As if that has anything to do with it.
:rolleyes:
Eh? Have you forgotten something?
huh?
Don’t mind them Farmer, Dan Carter, Bandage and Larry Duff are the foremost Rugby experts on this site with admirable backup from Rocko. The lads are just spoofers.
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Kev we’re just going to have to disagree on TOL. A talented ball player but not a scrumhalf. He probably would make an ok fullback or wing. But anyway that’s it. I don’t resent Kidney an ounce and think he’s a true lidgend to have won the Slam. He’s truly an excellent man manager and always seems to get the best out of his teams. I couldn’t care less if he picked an IRL team with 15 Ulster lads as long as they were the best lads for their position and they won.
Kidney has nothing left to prove really, HEC winner, Grand Slam winner, Unbeaten in 09. We are entering the realms of fantasy when we think that we could be in with a small shout of getting near the World Cup final or winning it. But with Kidney at the helm anything truly is possible.
Disappointing to read MBB personalising the debate a couple of pages back.