Ronan O Gara and French Media

[rosnarun]

sad day when a team purporting to represent Ireland have to use Tabloid tattle to get them motivated. they have been far too smug for far too long . thinking that beating a second string auusier team or 3rd string SA team with a dodgy try made them contenders.
and when you dont give a crap about a game that is the definition of no passion even if it is against the chicken farmers of south west africa.
This world cup just get funnier and funnier

[blast05]

So you have never seen a "kiss & tell" story in a Sunday tabloid, regardless of the rights and wrongs it is a fact of life.

Of course, but it doesn't make it right - just as it doesn't make it right that you come on here with stories that couldn't even be classified as 'high' as kiss and tell

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Lads, O'Garas personal life whether right or wrong, is HIS personal life - "let he who is without sin cast the first stone!"

The real point here is that the French media are using cheap, low dirty tricks to undermine the Irish squad before this crucial game for both teams - smacks of desperation from the French - lets hope Ireland can do their talking on the pitch.

[Orior]

Friend of mine went to NUIG and was friendly with a girl from Cork, as he put it a real "uppity, posh bi*ch", well to cut a long story short O'Gara was banging this girls friend and that he "played the field", my mate said she was the best looking woman he ever saw, so fair play to O'Gara

You should really have written that in French to make it easy for the frog journos.

[screenexile]

Peter Stringer, at his sides, as a half of fray,

That's replacing Scrum Half in my vocabulary anyway!

[ONeill]

I did a search on L'Equipe's site but I couldn't find that article. I found this, though, as translated by Babelfish:

O' Gara: "That the beginning"

The half of Irish opening Ronan O' Gara weighs less than with accustomed on the play of its selection. That does not seem to have to deteriorate its confidence for as much. "We know that this weekend, if we do not produce a great match, we are likely to return on our premises earlier than envisaged. I hope that this great expiry will mark the beginning of our adventure." Acting of the absence of his companion of always, Peter Stringer, at his sides, as a half of fray, O' Gara made a point of stressing that its substitute, Reddan, are "a player extremely mentally and of great quality. Even if I played only little with him, I know it well. It was exceptional with Wasps this season and deserves what arrives to him. With its alert play, it certainly will shake the back lines." Irish or Frenchwomen?


I couldn't agree more.

So, there's the crux of the accusations.....

[Evil Genius]

It seems to have united the irish team as EOS said "you say something bad about one of us you say it to us all" !!

What an absolute crock. I'm not one for believing that the Irish team somehow lacked 'passion' or 'pride in the jersey' against Namibia and Georgia. But if they turn on the style tonight and Eddie claims these allegations fired them up then basically it confirms that they didn't give a crap in those two games and they all need a good slap.

Whether it be soccer or rugby (and, I assume, GAA), it is rare in my observation for players playing at a high standard in a representative team to lack pride or passion, since it is almost impossible to get to that level unless you already have those qualities in abundance.

As for this present Ireland rugby team, the players who were so listless in their first two WC games are pretty much the same as those who 18 months ago were getting to be No. 2 in the World Rankings - not least due to their pride and passion! Therefore, unless the players have suddenly aged in that time, or are all suffering fitness problems (neither of which really applies, imo), we must look to another explanation.

For me, the answer lies fairly and squarely with a lack of conviction, not desire. That is, having climbed to within sight of the mountain top, they suddenly have the extra weight of expectation on their shoulders, and they can't handle it.

And the man I feel responsible for this is EOS! Which is not to say that he is a bad coach, or lacks many qualities. Rather, his greatest attributes which have brought the team this far - loyalty, consistency, reliability etc - are also the self-same qualities which I fear will see us fail when put to the ultimate test of a World Cup. In other words, loyalty can be blind (e.g. persisting with Stringer until far too late), consistency can be predictable (e.g ROG's kicking game) and reliability can fail (in which case you need a "Plan B", which EOS patently lacks)

And if we can see this following the first two games, then the players will have spotted this months ago. Which is why, even when going into this World Cup, instead of steamrollering mediocre opponents like SA's third team, or Italy, so as to set down a marker for the tournament, the team struggled, through a basic lack of belief in their ability to meet the challenge beyond.

And what I think must have "put the tin lid" on this process, was the decision (insane, imo) by the IRFU to give him another four years in post before we even saw how he did in the World Cup! So instead of EOS having to face up to the choice of carrying on as before, or, taking a chance and really going for it, he knew that he could persist with the former, without fear of recrimination. And what's worse, the players knew it as well, so that the "favourites" in the squad knew that they were safe pretty much regardless of how badly they played, and the "others" knew that they had little or no chance, regardless of how well they played.

All of which would be bad enough, imo, except that there is, as yet, no outstanding team which looks like taking this tournament by the scruff of the neck and just winning the damned thing! The French seem to be suffering the usual burden of home advantage/expectation; the All Blacks are serial chokers when it comes to the World Cup; England are in disarray; Australia are at a low point in the cycle and South Africa's team spirit/unity has to cope with the perpetual pressure of the race issue (i.e. the "best" team vs the "fairest" team).

So just when the opportunity opens up for the most talented and best prepared Irish team in decades (ever?), instead of a "Fast Eddie Felson" at the helm, we have "Steady Eddie O'Sullivan".

And they say he's a "shoe-in" to be the next Lions Coach?  Utterly, utterly insane!

P.S. Regarding tonight, my fear is that if France can find the conviction to take the game to Ireland, then they'll win comfortably, so that the only question will be how much resistance Ireland put up.
That said, if the French don't put it up to us, then the game could turn out like a rugby equivalent of this year's British Open golf, where neither player (Harrington or Garcia) could be said to have won it; rather Sergio choked even worse than Padraig and threw it away...
Either way, I really can't see this Ireland team making any significant impact on the tournament, much as I'd love them to do so. 

[illdecide]

This is the story coming out of Old Wesley (ex-international apparently)

The team are p issed off with O'Sullivan en masse for being too
conservative and there is dissention in the ranks about players not
being given time on the pitch. Apparently they have been for while

O'Gara & Stringer have not spoken "properly" for a few yrs..

O'Driscoll is running the show out there now and insisted that Reddan be
started and should have been in the team for the past 12 months

O'Gara was caught in bed with his wifes sister and not for the first
time

She was taking him to the cleaners but JP McManus has stepped in to stop
it going public and is looking after her financially - no mention of
Rog's gambling debts

O'Sullivan hates Geordan Murphy period and was forced to bring him

Trimble is in ahead of GM because of Ulster representation with Best out

Hickie had to declare his retirement pre world cup due to some venture
post world cup

D rico had a go at the munster forwards, Stringer and Hickie in the dressing room after the match Saturday.

This was after he did his usual interviews and after Paulie had tried to rally the troops, and it didn't go down well, particularly his scathing attack on Hickie.

Leinster Munster divide is evident

Drico insisted on redden being picked ahead of Eddies choice Boss - what are they paying Eddie to do if BOD if picking the team?

Hickie and Quinlan not speaking - Quinlans fiancé is an ex of Hickies

Wallace is on painkillers to play but has told EOS he's not right and can't sidestep - Eddie doesn't want to know

Leamy was diagnosed by Liam Hennessy as a borderline diabetic but Eddie won't let him either take medicine as you have to declare before the world cup or rest.

O Gara is in charge of the dress code when they're going out but lost the plot on Sunday night when some players slagged him over the Newbridge cufflinks he had given to the squad. (They all have to donate a present to the squad). That ended up with O gara refusing to go out and going back to the hotel.

Mal and Donnacha had a blazing row in training yesterday - not the usual training dustup. Quinlan and Easterby also had a few pops at each other.

Before the Georgia game the 2nd 15 beat the starting 15, 32-20 in a 40 minute game

O Donovan not happy as EOS has got extra 4 years

[naka]

sounds like a normal  gaa club set up to me

[full back]

This is the story coming out of Old Wesley (ex-international apparently)

The team are p issed off with O'Sullivan en masse for being too
conservative and there is dissention in the ranks about players not
being given time on the pitch. Apparently they have been for while

O'Gara & Stringer have not spoken "properly" for a few yrs..

O'Driscoll is running the show out there now and insisted that Reddan be
started and should have been in the team for the past 12 months

O'Gara was caught in bed with his wifes sister and not for the first
time

She was taking him to the cleaners but JP McManus has stepped in to stop
it going public and is looking after her financially - no mention of
Rog's gambling debts

O'Sullivan hates Geordan Murphy period and was forced to bring him

Trimble is in ahead of GM because of Ulster representation with Best out

Hickie had to declare his retirement pre world cup due to some venture
post world cup

D rico had a go at the munster forwards, Stringer and Hickie in the dressing room after the match Saturday.

This was after he did his usual interviews and after Paulie had tried to rally the troops, and it didn't go down well, particularly his scathing attack on Hickie.

Leinster Munster divide is evident

Drico insisted on redden being picked ahead of Eddies choice Boss - what are they paying Eddie to do if BOD if picking the team?

Hickie and Quinlan not speaking - Quinlans fiancé is an ex of Hickies

Wallace is on painkillers to play but has told EOS he's not right and can't sidestep - Eddie doesn't want to know

Leamy was diagnosed by Liam Hennessy as a borderline diabetic but Eddie won't let him either take medicine as you have to declare before the world cup or rest.

O Gara is in charge of the dress code when they're going out but lost the plot on Sunday night when some players slagged him over the Newbridge cufflinks he had given to the squad. (They all have to donate a present to the squad). That ended up with O gara refusing to go out and going back to the hotel.

Mal and Donnacha had a blazing row in training yesterday - not the usual training dustup. Quinlan and Easterby also had a few pops at each other.

Before the Georgia game the 2nd 15 beat the starting 15, 32-20 in a 40 minute game

O Donovan not happy as EOS has got extra 4 years

Did some French journo tell you this illdecide?

[GaillimhIarthair]

Looks suspiciously like an article that was on Munsterfans.com and PlanetRugby earlier this week 

[Mentalman]

This is the story coming out of Old Wesley (ex-international apparently)

The team are p issed off with O'Sullivan en masse for being too
conservative and there is dissention in the ranks about players not
being given time on the pitch. Apparently they have been for while

O'Gara & Stringer have not spoken "properly" for a few yrs..

O'Driscoll is running the show out there now and insisted that Reddan be
started and should have been in the team for the past 12 months

O'Gara was caught in bed with his wifes sister and not for the first
time

She was taking him to the cleaners but JP McManus has stepped in to stop
it going public and is looking after her financially - no mention of
Rog's gambling debts

O'Sullivan hates Geordan Murphy period and was forced to bring him

Trimble is in ahead of GM because of Ulster representation with Best out

Hickie had to declare his retirement pre world cup due to some venture
post world cup

D rico had a go at the munster forwards, Stringer and Hickie in the dressing room after the match Saturday.

This was after he did his usual interviews and after Paulie had tried to rally the troops, and it didn't go down well, particularly his scathing attack on Hickie.

Leinster Munster divide is evident

Drico insisted on redden being picked ahead of Eddies choice Boss - what are they paying Eddie to do if BOD if picking the team?

Hickie and Quinlan not speaking - Quinlans fiancé is an ex of Hickies

Wallace is on painkillers to play but has told EOS he's not right and can't sidestep - Eddie doesn't want to know

Leamy was diagnosed by Liam Hennessy as a borderline diabetic but Eddie won't let him either take medicine as you have to declare before the world cup or rest.

O Gara is in charge of the dress code when they're going out but lost the plot on Sunday night when some players slagged him over the Newbridge cufflinks he had given to the squad. (They all have to donate a present to the squad). That ended up with O gara refusing to go out and going back to the hotel.

Mal and Donnacha had a blazing row in training yesterday - not the usual training dustup. Quinlan and Easterby also had a few pops at each other.

Before the Georgia game the 2nd 15 beat the starting 15, 32-20 in a 40 minute game

O Donovan not happy as EOS has got extra 4 years

Got this pile of dung into my inbox yesterday too.

Funny how none of this is mentioned, or relevant, when we're winning.

[illdecide]

Me too, some female in the office e-mailed it to me earlier

[GalwayBayBoy]

Friend of mine went to NUIG and was friendly with a girl from Cork, as he put it a real "uppity, posh bi*ch", well to cut a long story short O'Gara was banging this girls friend and that he "played the field", my mate said she was the best looking woman he ever saw, so fair play to O'Gara

I don't think posting allegations about someone's private life is a wise thing to be fair.

It is a small country after all.

[Ryano]

Lads, O'Garas personal life whether right or wrong, is HIS personal life - "let he who is without sin cast the first stone!"

The real point here is that the French media are using cheap, low dirty tricks to undermine the Irish squad before this crucial game for both teams - smacks of desperation from the French - lets hope Ireland can do their talking on the pitch.

Nail on the head for me. My friend works with an immediate family member of ROG's in Cork and i heard about the alleged gambling and womanising thing at the start of this year. But all that is the mans own personal life and it is his to deal with. Its not for you me or anyone else to speculate about on a forum. For some slimey frog journo to go dragging it up in his "news" paper the week before the sides meet it pathetic. I for one hope to God ROG uses all this garbage to motivate himself and ram every last bit of it back down his critics throats.

As GDA said lets hope they reply in a suitable manner on the pitch this evening.