Other rugby news in brief

Rog has write go at Myers

STRANGE GOINGS on recently in the Irish Independent letters page as one Ronan O’Gara from Rochestown responded to criticism from columnist Kevin Myers of the Parisian experience.

Media lesson number one: if you dont want a story to grow, don’t supply it with any oxygen.

Writing on a theme that we Irish are subconsciously losers (Why? Fianna Fáil, of course! We see the pathology of defeatism throughout the administration of our State) Myers tossed the following bucket of bloodied Chum in the water: For the past couple of years, opposing teams have focused on attacking through the channel where he (O’Gara) stands.

“Everyone knows his defence is weak,” Myers wrote. “That is the nature of the player. He is not a Brendan Mullin or a Brian O’Driscoll or a Mike Gibson. Somewhere in the opposing back line – and his number is irrelevant because he could turn up anywhere – was Bastareaud, who is less a human being than a tsunami on legs. Teams playing France must not tackle him so much as lawfully incapacitate him. Nothing less will do. Jonathan Sexton might have done that. Ronan O’Gara was as likely to do it as Kate Moss”.

In response, O’Gara described Myers’ article as scurrilous, adding: “I do not accept being castigated by a journalist who I suspect knows nothing about rugby but somehow appoints himself as an “expert”. This falls well short of the journalistic standards I would expect from one of our main national newspapers”.

He added: “I am well able to analyse any game of rugby and would often be accused by those whom I most trust of being my own harshest critic. However, in relation to last Saturday, I will not be scapegoated by Mr Myers or any journalist who wants to write in that fashion.

“Any article needs to be balanced and I would suggest to you, Mr Editor, that that is the least you should demand from your journalists, whether freelance or otherwise”.

Ireland squad flirts with other codes

THE IRELAND rugby training last week was switched from Declan Kidney and Ronan O’Gara’s alma mater, Pres Cork, to Nemo Rangers GAA club indoor facility due to the weather.

The Belfast Telegraph newshounds were immediately on the case, citing GAA rule 5.1 and surmising that the Cork football giants were open to sanctions from headquarters.

A Nemo Rangers spokesman clarified yesterday the rugby squad only trained indoors at the Trabeg Sports Centre, which he described as a separate commercial operation, which is only attached to Nemo Rangers.

The rugby team wasn’t anywhere near the GAA pitches or the side of the complex vested in the GAA.

Oh, okay them.

Word has it the session ended with a soccer match (more sanctions to follow) that saw victory for the forwards over the backs. We presume not many three-quarters fancied introducing their shins to Jerry Flannery.

The joke doing the rounds about the full-hearted Ireland and Munster hooker is he has given up rugby for Lent. Ouch!

Which French the Gatland conundrum

IRELAND WELCOME old pal Warren Gatland back to Dublin on March 13th but before that is the small matter of the French in Cardiff in the first Friday night floodlit Six Nations international, at the Millennium Stadium.

Naturally, Gatland has done his usual trick of taking the focus off his players and on to himself.

“You don’t know what French team is going to turn up, really. That’s always the question. Last year they had a couple of good wins, beat us at Stade de France, did a lap of honour and the following game, against England at Twickenham, they were absolutely woeful.”

By the way, buggy man Andy Powell is due in court on March 2nd.

Spencer set free

“FOR CARLOS, having played in the Northern Hemisphere as long as he has restricted his vision a little bit. But certainly the individual doesn’t lack vision. For me, it is just some old habits that are there that he has to shake off. We’ve had a good chat this week and I’m really confident that he will do the right job for us.”

– Assistant Springbok coach Dick Muir is confident Carlos Spencer will readjust to Super 14 rugby with the Lions once he gets the English Premiership out of his system.

Borthwick 'delusional' says Dallaglio

FORMER ENGLAND captain Lawrence Dallaglio used his Sunday Timescolumn yesterday to have a cut off present incumbent Steve Borthwick. Dallaglio believed the comments quoted below, post England's dodgy win in Rome, bordered on the delusional.

“We played some fantastic stuff, created a lot of chances but ultimately we didnt take them”, said Borthwick. “But some of the rugby we played was outstanding . . . In some aspects, I thought we did some very good stuff. I think there was a lot of positives”.

Dallaglio added: “Steve, please, don’t insult our intelligence. Borthwick’s summary bore no resemblance to the game I watched and I yearned for him to be more honest. This matters because rugby, when played correctly, is all about honesty”. Good to see the Chariot rolling along so smoothly.