Stephen Ferris explains how his World Cup romance in 2011 led to Ronan O'Gara bunking with Brian O'Driscoll
Independent.ie
Published
28/09/2015 | 14:52
Stephen Ferris will long be associated with an astonishing performance against Australia during the 2011 World Cup, but a story from a night out in the lead-up to the historic win makes for humorous reading.
The powerhouse backrower was instrumental in the pool victory over the Wallabies in Eden Park, carrying back play-maker Will Genia back towards his own line one of the enduring moments from an Irish perspective in a campaign that ultimately fell at the quarter-final stage against Wales.
The retired rugby player has also described the build-up to that particular game that saw the squad let their hair down in New Plymouth.
In extracts from his autobiography published in the Sunday Life, Ferris revealed that a romantic excursion forced team-mate Ronan O'Gara out his room, with the Munster man volunteering to bunk in with team captain Brian O'Driscoll.
The story began in New Plymouth with fellow backrower Sean O'Brien and Ferris attempting to entice a group of American girls he had met through a friend back to the team hotel.
"New Plymouth is not the type of place where you can walk out and get a taxi; they are in short supply," he writes. "When Sean and I go to leave, with the American girls for company, we have no luck getting one.
"We have only had a few beers and have our wits about us. We have a massive game against Australia the following week. We eventually flag a taxi and go back to the [hotel].
"I send a text to my room-mate. ‘ROG, I’ve got a girl back. Any chance of you f***ing off?’
"He texts back, ‘No worries mate.’
"He gets his bags and moves out of there pretty quickly. He texts Drico: ‘Big man’s got a girl back, any chance I can bunk in with you?’
"He does the right thing. Next day, I buy him lunch.
It is in stark contrast to his first encounter with O'Gara on the pitch during a Celtic League clash in 2005.
The 20-year-old came off the bench and made big carries as Ulster pushed for a try at the Munster line.
After the out-half made a booming clearance, he caught up with the flanker to give him a piece of his mind.
"Chasing back, grabs me by the scruff of my neck," he writes.
“You’re a f***ing young c***,” he snarls. “You don’t even know anything about rugby. You think you’re the big man but you’re not. You’re a nobody.”
"He pushes me and I push back. I try to square up to him but, in reality, I am quaking, ‘Oh sh*t, this is Ronan O’Gara.’
"That is Ronan, though. He is a different man once he crosses that white line. A real, competitive animal."
I hope Ferris hasn't thrown Seanie under the bus with this particular revelation.
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Stephen Ferris explains how his World Cup romance in 2011 led to Ronan O'Gara bunking with Brian O'Driscoll
Independent.ie
Published
28/09/2015 | 14:52
Stephen Ferris will long be associated with an astonishing performance against Australia during the 2011 World Cup, but a story from a night out in the lead-up to the historic win makes for humorous reading.
The powerhouse backrower was instrumental in the pool victory over the Wallabies in Eden Park, carrying back play-maker Will Genia back towards his own line one of the enduring moments from an Irish perspective in a campaign that ultimately fell at the quarter-final stage against Wales.
The retired rugby player has also described the build-up to that particular game that saw the squad let their hair down in New Plymouth.
In extracts from his autobiography published in the Sunday Life, Ferris revealed that a romantic excursion forced team-mate Ronan O'Gara out his room, with the Munster man volunteering to bunk in with team captain Brian O'Driscoll.
The story began in New Plymouth with fellow backrower Sean O'Brien and Ferris attempting to entice a group of American girls he had met through a friend back to the team hotel.
"New Plymouth is not the type of place where you can walk out and get a taxi; they are in short supply," he writes. "When Sean and I go to leave, with the American girls for company, we have no luck getting one.
"We have only had a few beers and have our wits about us. We have a massive game against Australia the following week. We eventually flag a taxi and go back to the [hotel].
"I send a text to my room-mate. ‘ROG, I’ve got a girl back. Any chance of you f***ing off?’
"He texts back, ‘No worries mate.’
"He gets his bags and moves out of there pretty quickly. He texts Drico: ‘Big man’s got a girl back, any chance I can bunk in with you?’
"He does the right thing. Next day, I buy him lunch.
It is in stark contrast to his first encounter with O'Gara on the pitch during a Celtic League clash in 2005.
The 20-year-old came off the bench and made big carries as Ulster pushed for a try at the Munster line.
After the out-half made a booming clearance, he caught up with the flanker to give him a piece of his mind.
"Chasing back, grabs me by the scruff of my neck," he writes.
“You’re a f***ing young c***,” he snarls. “You don’t even know anything about rugby. You think you’re the big man but you’re not. You’re a nobody.”
"He pushes me and I push back. I try to square up to him but, in reality, I am quaking, ‘Oh sh*t, this is Ronan O’Gara.’
"That is Ronan, though. He is a different man once he crosses that white line. A real, competitive animal."
I hope Ferris hasn't thrown Seanie under the bus with this particular revelation.
Must say that is one of the more endearing anecdotes about ROG, both in him not being a pr!*k in having to move rooms and also in having the balls to give a bit of lip to Ferris who even then was a beasshhhtt of man!
Stephen Ferris explains how his World Cup romance in 2011 led to Ronan O'Gara bunking with Brian O'Driscoll
Independent.ie
Published
28/09/2015 | 14:52
Stephen Ferris will long be associated with an astonishing performance against Australia during the 2011 World Cup, but a story from a night out in the lead-up to the historic win makes for humorous reading.
The powerhouse backrower was instrumental in the pool victory over the Wallabies in Eden Park, carrying back play-maker Will Genia back towards his own line one of the enduring moments from an Irish perspective in a campaign that ultimately fell at the quarter-final stage against Wales.
The retired rugby player has also described the build-up to that particular game that saw the squad let their hair down in New Plymouth.
In extracts from his autobiography published in the Sunday Life, Ferris revealed that a romantic excursion forced team-mate Ronan O'Gara out his room, with the Munster man volunteering to bunk in with team captain Brian O'Driscoll.
The story began in New Plymouth with fellow backrower Sean O'Brien and Ferris attempting to entice a group of American girls he had met through a friend back to the team hotel.
"New Plymouth is not the type of place where you can walk out and get a taxi; they are in short supply," he writes. "When Sean and I go to leave, with the American girls for company, we have no luck getting one.
"We have only had a few beers and have our wits about us. We have a massive game against Australia the following week. We eventually flag a taxi and go back to the [hotel].
"I send a text to my room-mate. ‘ROG, I’ve got a girl back. Any chance of you f***ing off?’
"He texts back, ‘No worries mate.’
"He gets his bags and moves out of there pretty quickly. He texts Drico: ‘Big man’s got a girl back, any chance I can bunk in with you?’
"He does the right thing. Next day, I buy him lunch.
It is in stark contrast to his first encounter with O'Gara on the pitch during a Celtic League clash in 2005.
The 20-year-old came off the bench and made big carries as Ulster pushed for a try at the Munster line.
After the out-half made a booming clearance, he caught up with the flanker to give him a piece of his mind.
"Chasing back, grabs me by the scruff of my neck," he writes.
“You’re a f***ing young c***,” he snarls. “You don’t even know anything about rugby. You think you’re the big man but you’re not. You’re a nobody.”
"He pushes me and I push back. I try to square up to him but, in reality, I am quaking, ‘Oh sh*t, this is Ronan O’Gara.’
"That is Ronan, though. He is a different man once he crosses that white line. A real, competitive animal."
I hope Ferris hasn't thrown Seanie under the bus with this particular revelation.
Must say that is one of the more endearing anecdotes about ROG, both in him not being a pr!*k in having to move rooms and also in having the balls to give a bit of lip to Ferris who even then was a beasshhhtt of man!
We have only had a few beers and have our wits about us. We have a massive game against Australia the following week. We eventually flag a taxi and go back to the [hotel].
How would Joe have reacted to such behaviour in the team hotel a week before say the French game?
All Blacks nil wrote:
We have only had a few beers and have our wits about us. We have a massive game against Australia the following week. We eventually flag a taxi and go back to the [hotel].
How would Joe have reacted to such behaviour in the team hotel a week before say the French game?
Won't know the answer to that one for about 5 or 10 years, when one of the youngsters have retired and picked up a pundits job somewhere. My money's on Paddy Jackson, Iain Henderson or Robbie Henshaw
Stephen Ferris explains how his World Cup romance in 2011 led to Ronan O'Gara bunking with Brian O'Driscoll
Independent.ie
Published
28/09/2015 | 14:52
Stephen Ferris will long be associated with an astonishing performance against Australia during the 2011 World Cup, but a story from a night out in the lead-up to the historic win makes for humorous reading.
The powerhouse backrower was instrumental in the pool victory over the Wallabies in Eden Park, carrying back play-maker Will Genia back towards his own line one of the enduring moments from an Irish perspective in a campaign that ultimately fell at the quarter-final stage against Wales.
The retired rugby player has also described the build-up to that particular game that saw the squad let their hair down in New Plymouth.
In extracts from his autobiography published in the Sunday Life, Ferris revealed that a romantic excursion forced team-mate Ronan O'Gara out his room, with the Munster man volunteering to bunk in with team captain Brian O'Driscoll.
The story began in New Plymouth with fellow backrower Sean O'Brien and Ferris attempting to entice a group of American girls he had met through a friend back to the team hotel.
"New Plymouth is not the type of place where you can walk out and get a taxi; they are in short supply," he writes. "When Sean and I go to leave, with the American girls for company, we have no luck getting one.
"We have only had a few beers and have our wits about us. We have a massive game against Australia the following week. We eventually flag a taxi and go back to the [hotel].
"I send a text to my room-mate. ‘ROG, I’ve got a girl back. Any chance of you f***ing off?’
"He texts back, ‘No worries mate.’
"He gets his bags and moves out of there pretty quickly. He texts Drico: ‘Big man’s got a girl back, any chance I can bunk in with you?’
"He does the right thing. Next day, I buy him lunch.
It is in stark contrast to his first encounter with O'Gara on the pitch during a Celtic League clash in 2005.
The 20-year-old came off the bench and made big carries as Ulster pushed for a try at the Munster line.
After the out-half made a booming clearance, he caught up with the flanker to give him a piece of his mind.
"Chasing back, grabs me by the scruff of my neck," he writes.
“You’re a f***ing young c***,” he snarls. “You don’t even know anything about rugby. You think you’re the big man but you’re not. You’re a nobody.”
"He pushes me and I push back. I try to square up to him but, in reality, I am quaking, ‘Oh sh*t, this is Ronan O’Gara.’
"That is Ronan, though. He is a different man once he crosses that white line. A real, competitive animal."
I hope Ferris hasn't thrown Seanie under the bus with this particular revelation.
Must say that is one of the more endearing anecdotes about ROG, both in him not being a pr!*k in having to move rooms and also in having the balls to give a bit of lip to Ferris who even then was a beasshhhtt of man!
Did you hear the one on the Off the Ball thing in the Point?
James Hook taps BOD on the shoulder after being a late addition to the Lions squad and says " What's up with Ronan? I don't think he likes me very much".
"Why do you say that?" says BOD.
"He just walked up to me and said I was the worst player he has ever played against".
