Rugby heroes get Royal treatment for Slam win

[earl]

Irish rugby legends from past and present gathered at Hillsborough Castle yesterday for a very special meeting with the Queen.

Members of the Grand Slam-winning squad from both north and south were invited to a civic reception to honour their historic achievement in March of this year.

They were accompanied by coach Declan Kidney, as well as 1948 Grand Slam legends Jack Kyle and Jimmy Nelson, as they met Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Drawing Room at Hillsborough.

Irish President Mary McAleese also travelled to Hillsborough for the event.

Alongside team captain Brian O’Driscoll, the line-up included Ulster stars Paddy Wallace, Rory Best and Stephen Ferris.

“It’s very special and a huge honour to be invited here,” said Best, who had earlier accompanied the Queen and Prince Philip as they were introduced to his team-mates.

“There is no-one more special than the Queen and to meet her is very special.

“It speaks volumes for what it means to everyone that the boys have made the effort to come up from Cork and Dublin.”

Stephen Ferris, who is due to travel to South Africa this summer as part of the British and Irish Lions squad, said: “The Queen said ‘well done’ and that it was a great achievement.

“For her to say that is pretty good. This was the first time I had been in Hillsborough Castle, so it was very memorable.”

Irish rugby legend Jack Kyle, who played for Ireland when they last won the Grand Slam in 1948, said this year’s rugby achievement had helped bring people from across Ireland together.

“The great thing is that Irish rugby has always been the full country playing,” he said.

“That has helped to cement relationships, and that has been further helped by the chaps coming up today to meet the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

“The guys have had a wonderful season. We were delighted to hand over after all these years. It was a different monarch on the throne last time. We didn’t have celebrations like these chaps have. We’ve dined out on that for 61 years.

“It was a friendly atmosphere. I met the Queen before in 1958 when she gave me an OBE!”

Afterwards team skipper Brian O'Driscoll said the event had been another highlight in what had shaped up to be a long lap of honour.

“We've done an awful lot of touring with the cup,” he said.

“We've really milked it, besides ourselves travelling I know the cup has done a huge amount of travelling whether it be with sponsors or schools.

“So it's great to come up to Belfast and share a bit of the wealth and see the smiles on people's faces up here.

“And to have the Sovereign of Northern Ireland to come over, the Queen, and give us her time was great too.”

He said he realised the significance of what is an all-Ireland team meeting the Queen.

“I think the players from the Republic understand what the Queen means, as much as the northern players do to the southern players when they meet Mary McAleese (Irish president).

“So it's a reciprocation and an understanding and it's another opportunity to be patted on the back, so that can't be a bad thing.”

Following the meeting with the rugby stars, the Royal couple were guests of honour at a special reception for the peace-building charity Co-operation Ireland, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

“We’re delighted that our two patrons, the President and the Queen, are here to celebrate that,” said chief executive Peter Sheridan.

“It’s about recognising all the people who, down through the years, have done peace-building work and probably didn’t get much recognition for it.”

[Wasp]

Ronan O' Gara showed real respect didn't he??? Hope hes kicked off the team.

[An Fear Dubh]

While I am not excusing Ronan's behaviour, if there is protocol and you attend then you must adhere to the protocol. He could of feigned sickness and not attended.

But there might be a bit of petty payback revenge for English Captain Martin Johnston's disrespect to the protocol with President Mary McAleese.

I have often heard you say Wasp if one side does something then the other is entitled to throw back.

[Jim]

Ronan who? Sorry, I dont watch Rugby at all, dont like the sport. Rugby is shite.

[Wasp]

May 10, 2009 15:52:56 GMT An Fear Dubh said:

While I am not excusing Ronan's behaviour, if there is protocol and you attend then you must adhere to the protocol. He could of feigned sickness and not attended.

But there might be a bit of petty payback revenge for English Captain Martin Johnston's disrespect to the protocol with President Mary McAleese.

I have often heard you say Wasp if one side does something then the other is entitled to throw back.

Dont know about your last point but I sincerely hope the English captain does not do that and I hope that Her Majesty is ivited very soon to the republic as this is a few times that the Irish president has been invited up here so it is only common decency and manners to invite the Queen to the republic.

Fair play to O'Driscoll though for what he said and I hope he gets O'Gara kicked off the team.

[Jim]

It should and will happen eventually, just wouldnt expect it to be at a football match! Different story from Rugby all together, always has been.

[earl]

May 10, 2009 21:37:31 GMT Wasp said:

Dont know about your last point but I sincerely hope the English captain does not do that

news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/2904249.stm

[earl]

Here's a photo of the incident. Clearly Brian O'Driscoll is horrified.



Looks like he was waiting to get Johnson back alright. I seen one quote where someone suggested that he should have stood in the adjacent room and refused to move.

Did Ronan really snub the queen?

Rugby icon Ronan O'Gara has been criticised by fans for his perceived disrespect of the Queen of England.

The Irish team and past legends gathered at Hillsborough Castle for a civic reception held to honour their Grand Slam victory yesterday.

However, O'Gara failed to take his hands out of his pockets when greeting the sovereign.

O'Gara's casual stance has horrified rugby fans who feel he showed complete disrespect for the monarch.

Coach Declan Kidney, as well as 1948 Grand Slam legends Jack Kyle and Jimmy Nelson, accompanied the players, as they met the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Team captain Brian O'Driscoll had his hand over his mouth when watching O'Gara's royal encounter. Discussion websites were immediately rushed with comments from appalled Munster fans. "The Irish team were being congratulated by the queen and O'Gara stood with his hands in his pockets," said one fan. "Just wanted too express my disgust in his behaviour."

"Very dis-respectfull allright (sic)," said another in a thread entitled Ronan O'Gara ... Very Disrespectful.

While a number of fans said that they didn't believe that the outhalf should have acted any differently, others were outraged. "I agree ... ROG is a thundering disgrace," said one blogger.

"As a grown-up country you show respect to other countries leaders regardless as to how they attained that position," said another.

Ronan is reported to have chatted to the Queen about her grandson William, who he met on two previous Lions tours and that he found him "a lovely young man".

Pat Geraghty, a Munster Rugby representative defended O'Gara today saying: "I think that he spoke very well. I believe Ronan always acts in a correct and respectful manner. He always represents his country very well".

After the meeting yesterday, players spoke about how pleased they had been to meet royalty.

"The queen was lovely. It was very special," said Rory Best. "You know, in terms of special guests, you don't get better than that."

Stephen Ferris's girlfriend Lauren Hood revealed that she was worried about how her curtsey had gone, while Stephen joked: "Well, I asked her for a pint of Harp and a packet of crisps," he laughed.

[Harry]

Disgusting. It reflects on that scumbag himself. Down right scum of the earth. Don't be there if you don't want to meet her.

[leeside]

"Down right scum of the earth", why??!! Because he kept his hands in his pockets while meeting a foreign head of state!? Now that's ridiculous. It was dis-respectful, i agree. No doubt about it. As someone who knows Ronan personally, I can assure you that he's no scumbag. He showed a hell of a lot more respect towards the British Queen than Martin Johnson did in Dublin towards our head of state. At least he made the effort to travel up north to meet her and spoke to her courteously. Bowing to her and thanking her for 'civilising' us was never going to happen ;-)

[Harry]

Does anyone on here think that Martin Johnson will give a flying hoot about the scumdog behaviour towards the queen??? Will he hell.

All that dirtbag did was shaft his own team mates. All that dirtbag did was show the Ulster players exactly what he thinks of them. He couldn't be man enough to show grace out of respect for HIS OWN BLOODY TEAMATES. That is the actions of a coward.

I don't expect him to get on his knees or anything but to stand there and greet someone the way you would expect to be greeted. Maybe its normal for him. I would greet a stranger in the street with more respect than he showed.

Brian the captain is a credit to his team and i have total respect for what he said.

[earl]

I'd say the Ulster lads know exactly what O'Gara thinks of them through training and playing on the international rugby team.

Regardless of what Johnson did, O'Gara should have known better considering the makeup of the players and fans of the Ireland rugby team, and he shouldn't have been playing pocket billiards while conversing with the head of any state.

[Jim]

Maybe he fancied her and tried to contain his lust with a hole in his pocket.

[Wasp]

Down right scum of the earth", why??!! Because he kept his hands in his pockets while meeting a foreign head of state!?

He was in a foreign country meeting the head of state of that country and that is why he should have showed respect, ontop of that he should have showed repsect in respect of his team mates from N.Ireland.

Now that's ridiculous. It was dis-respectful, i agree. No doubt about it. As someone who knows Ronan personally, I can assure you that he's no scumbag

Tell him I said he is a childish, bitter and twisted wanker.

He showed a hell of a lot more respect towards the British Queen than Martin Johnson did in Dublin towards our head of state.

Who does Johnson play for?? Was it the players from N.Ireland who showed disrespect?? No it flamin well wasnt so why did he disrespect his team mates by snubbing our Queen.

At least he made the effort to travel up north to meet her and spoke to her courteously. Bowing to her and thanking her for 'civilising' us was never going to happen ;-)

He should have stayed at home or perhaps he should have been taught some manners and perhaps we British could civilize him some more instead of his backwater childish attitude. People like him do need to be civilized. Did he get a horse drawn cart up to N.Ireland or did he travel like most civilized modern people?

[Wasp]

May 16, 2009 9:24:14 GMT Harry said:

Does anyone on here think that Martin Johnson will give a flying hoot about the scumdog behaviour towards the queen??? Will he hell.

All that dirtbag did was shaft his own team mates. All that dirtbag did was show the Ulster players exactly what he thinks of them. He couldn't be man enough to show grace out of respect for HIS OWN BLOODY TEAMATES. That is the actions of a coward.

I don't expect him to get on his knees or anything but to stand there and greet someone the way you would expect to be greeted. Maybe its normal for him. I would greet a stranger in the street with more respect than he showed.

Brian the captain is a credit to his team and i have total respect for what he said.

Harry its been a while since I have been able to agree with some or all of your posts, but on this I couldnt agree more from your first word to your last word. Well said.