Ronan O Gara and French Media

Seany · September 21, 2007, 08:51:10 AM

Pardon me, but what was the 'scandalous rumour' that the French media was supposed to have put out about Ronan O Gara? Does anyone know? I felt the local media were at pains yesterday trying NOT to let the cat out of the bag. DOes anyone else think that our relationship with the French nation has suffered in recent years due to Rugby and spats between our crowd and their ones?

Hoof Hearted · September 21, 2007, 09:04:13 AM

He is ALLEGED to have 250K of gambling debts. Good piece on IT4 last night where the journo who wrote it had to be ushered out of the press conference before there was a scrum. 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" !!

Uladh · September 21, 2007, 09:18:56 AM

They went further than that, making allegations about his marriage. to their credit, the irish media didn't even print the stories relating the french rumours.
i'd say a law suit will follow.

deiseach · September 21, 2007, 09:22:13 AM

Quote from: Hoof Hearted on September 21, 2007, 09:04:13 AM
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.

Hoof Hearted · September 21, 2007, 09:29:31 AM

But how can they not give a crap in a world cup game ? a few people are suggesting this, that they intentionally aren't firing on all cylinders and were saving themselves for the last 2 games, but surely this is impossible. 12 months ago we beat SA and Aus and were 2nd fav for the WC, now this last fortnight has been a disaster. I hope O'Gara and the boys have a blinder tonight. If they get slaughtered and also lose to Arg, then EOS has a lot of explaining to do on his return home.

screenexile · September 21, 2007, 09:34:37 AM

At the end of the day tonight's gonna tell it's own tale. Were the team holding back against Georgia and Namibia? Maybe they were and if we have a good performance tonight then we probably were holding back against the Namibians and the Georgians. What would be wrong with that? As long as we qualify for the Quarters I couldn't care less if Namibia and Georgia both walloped us. It's a tournament and it's about peaking at the right time so who cares if we don't play well against the minnows.

Having said that I don't think that our lacklustre performances can be blamed on holding back. The errors we made and the batterings we took from both teams would point to a team with problems. But as I said, tonight will tell the tale!

Balboa · September 21, 2007, 10:00:45 AM

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

Bensars · September 21, 2007, 10:09:29 AM

EOS has always said priority was to get out of group.

Whether they were holding back or not its immaterial. It happens to all teams that despite the best intentions , preparations and good enough motivation and passion, that they just dont play well. From what ive seen, although not good, a lot of it seems to be timing issues.

In regards to Ronan o Gara, its his private life, whether true or not and he hasnt sought the media attention. Its obviously a cheap french shot to unsettle preparations.

On a more negitive note, Ireland have only beat France in Paris once in the last 39 years

thebandit · September 21, 2007, 10:09:39 AM

That's his own business I think

Balboa · September 21, 2007, 10:11:29 AM

Quote from: thebandit on September 21, 2007, 10:09:39 AM
That's his own business I think

It is but his wandering eye seems to be part of what the French media are getting at.

Bensars · September 21, 2007, 10:13:20 AM

And the French as a nation, famous for their monogamous tendancies

Balboa · September 21, 2007, 10:15:31 AM

Quote from: Bensars on September 21, 2007, 10:13:20 AM
And the French as a nation, famous for their monogamous tendancies

Unfortunately whether he likes it or not as a professional athlete he is "fair game", surely some of this stuff must have come from an Irish source......

blast05 · September 21, 2007, 10:46:13 AM

Quotewhether he likes it or not as a professional athlete he is "fair game",

What sort of a warped tabloidesque world do you live in ? Is "fair game" repeating 'libelous' 5th hand stories on an anonymous forum on the web that you step away from feeling happy with yourself for having such a cutting inside angle ? Yes, there is an unstated responsibility for professional sports people that they conduct themselves in an appropriate manner in the PUBLIC arena, however their personal life is just that - personal.

Hardy · September 21, 2007, 10:51:30 AM

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.

Balboa · September 21, 2007, 10:53:53 AM

Quote from: blast05 on September 21, 2007, 10:46:13 AM
Quotewhether he likes it or not as a professional athlete he is "fair game",

What sort of a warped tabloidesque world do you live in ? Is "fair game" repeating 'libelous' 5th hand stories on an anonymous forum on the web that you step away from feeling happy with yourself for having such a cutting inside angle ? Yes, there is an unstated responsibility for professional sports people that they conduct themselves in an appropriate manner in the PUBLIC arena, however their personal life is just that - personal.

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.