WHEN ADAM THOMSON received the call-up to the All Blacks squad last week, the 30-year-old flanker admitted he was getting old.
“I only received one text,” he admitted.
It was congratulatory and it was from his mum.
Thomson was not feeling the love until he signed into his Twitter account the next day – hundreds of ‘good luck’ tweets and ‘you’re awesome’ tweets.
Amy Huberman is well aware of how awesome Brian O’Driscoll is – the couple married in 2010 – but she enjoys a reminder every now and then.
Huberman responded to me after she read TheScore.ie and the article on how deftly O’Driscoll handled a pre-match press conference, ahead of Saturday morning’s Test match against New Zealand.
Brian O’Driscoll has a very proud wife. (Credit: @LauraDonnelly6)
I had to assure a friend of mine (who sent me the picture above) that back-and-forths with successful and talented actresses were not the norm – I’m still awaiting a response to my ‘I loved you as Angel in #homeandaway’ tweet to @TheMGeorge (Melissa George).
One can only hope that Ireland’s leading try-scorer can invoke similar feelings of pride across the country after the first Test.
An ‘Irish’ coffee
Ireland checked out of their hotel in Takapuna on Thursday and have now set up camp in downtown Auckland.
The staff at the Spencer Hotel will miss the hustle and bustle of catering for the needs of the Irish team.
A female member of the hotel’s bar staff explained to me that she was often speechless in the presence of the touring rugby squad, who were always happy to sign autographs and pose for photographs with staff, hotel guests and Irish fans that dropped by to meet their heroes.
Making it Irish: Fergus McFadden and Gordon D’Arcy laugh it up. (©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
One thing the staff will not miss is the player’s coffee quirks.
A ‘long black’ coffee here often comes in a tiny cup and ‘flat whites’ are 80% foam. They take some getting used to, especially for certain members of the squad.
Fergus McFadden, who will start Saturday’s match on the right wing, stepped up on Thursday afternoon and asked for ‘an Irish coffee’.
However, before the staff member could reach for the whiskey from the top shelf, McFadden explained that he wanted a ‘long black’ that was almost full to the brim and a ‘splash of milk’.
It may yet catch on down under.
Never say never again
Each time Ireland take on the All Blacks, and they have faced each other nine times in the past decade, the players and coaches must field questions on the unbeaten run of the Kiwi team.
So far the count stands at 24 matches; one draw and 23 defeats.
Declan Kidney’s bold team selection for the first Test, and the European form of Leinster and Ulster this year, has given reason to hope.
The New Zealand Herald brought Irish fans back down to earth with a bump on Friday morning.
Kiwis don’t fear the Irish.
The front page of the paper’s Super Sport section declared that the All Blacks’ unbeaten record stretches 107 years and the aggregate score over the 24 games stands at 664-259.
Nonetheless, as Amy Huberman’s talented husband says, “Our time is now.”
*You can follow all the latest news, comments and goings on from the Irish camp by following @patmccarry on Twitter and by regularly checking in with TheScore.ie.
Like a story from Roy of the Rovers
Well done Clare.you won it honestly and without any help
Who was Roy and what Rovers?
His name was Roy and he played for a team called rovers
I think, Nelly, that you have been reading too many English comics.
Yeah stick with Spraoi and Siamsa Nelly.
Brilliant guy heard him interviewed very articulate and mature for 19……..not to mention an awesome hurler. Well done clare n davy
All Irelands Won – 1
Cows Milked – 0
A game like that yesterday makes you proud to be Irish, What a sport,Delighted for Davy and his team!
He gave a very good post match interview with rte girl. A good lad.
Rte girl sounds like the name of a really crap superhero
He blinded Nash with dem big white teeth lol
Probably the complete game – Hurling!
To even compare it with other sports is not even a contest. But I will anyway – just for pig iron sake – Gaelic Football is its nearest comparable for fitness , pace and the fact that players do it for the love of it – not the money.
I love rugby union too – but watching professionals playing in the Munster game last night was positively pedestrian after the skill and pace of the hurling game.
As for soccer – where a huge bunch of overpaid egotists shuffle a ball around a 100m long field for ninety minutes and then might just about generate an average of two scores ?
I couldn’t even tolerate Match of the Day last night on the Beeb , it was so positively boring and pedestrian and they were the highlights of the top games of the weekend, over the pond!
Give credit where credit is due – GAA and hurling lit up our lives this season and most of all the finalists in the Hurling Finals – They were awesome !
To my Clare and Cork neighbours – you both have set the standard for sport far and wide this year & young O’Donnell is but that hugely healthy beacon for it !
Comhgardachais to everyone concerned.
Why do people feel the need to compare it to other sports?? Just enjoy it for what it is!
If you look closely, he is not comparing it to other sports. He is just taking an oppurtunity to run down other sports.
Sluascanal – I am the “he” – please take the time to READ my little contribution.
Nowhere in it did I try to denigrate any other sport ?
I only compared – pace, fitness levels and genuine endeavour, against all other sports.
As a genuine sports lover , I also admire so much , the truly amateur ethic of all GAA people – be they players , management, or the person that lines the pitch and washes the kit.
It’s so reflected too in the numbers and quality of the GAA facilities, throughout our small Island of Ireland .
Interestingly too , currently Hurling is the fastest growing field sport in the USA , with Clubs and Leagues springing up in all 50 States, often started by persons with no Irish background .
Your soccer comparison was little biased to be fair.
What a day for this young fella, deservedly man of the match. What a joy to be there and watch the skill and speed of game. Hurling is without a doubt the finest sport in the world. Well done Shane O Donnell, Well done Clare!
The greatest field game bar none . Shane o,Donnell v Ronaldo-no contest
.
Ridiculous comparison
His not the only one waking up thinking it was like a dream what a match what a night well done lads ye done us proud
Head on me like a burst sliotar today, its starting to properly sink in. Incredible day and night in Dublin, the banter was 90 and you better believe there won’t be a cow milked in Clare this week. Hon the Banner.
Did anyone notice Liam O’Neill reading the name of the Pat Donnellan off the back of his hand before he gave him The Liam McCarthy cup yesterday?!
Yep, but he had no problem remembering the names of the sponsors!
There were only two captains, should have rolled off his tongue
Why is there always someone who will find something negative about a great occasion Shane O Donnell Man of the match sportsmad ! nitpicker of the year
Thanks for all the support lads
Martin, Jesus, still bitter even when ye win. Fair play to Clare, great win. Delighted for Shane, what a dream for him. Cork weren’t good enough on the day but we’ll be back.
Master stroke by Davy Fitzgerald. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant! Shane O Donnell, the George Best of hurling. A very mature young man.
Lol George best eat your heart out wise up ppl
No sympathy whatsoever for Cork as they have had it over us for many years.it was nice to finally get revenge on them on the biggest stage of all.Up The Banner!
No need for this.
Not very gracious in victory there.
As a Corkman I have to say well done to Clare. Undoubtedly the better team over both matches.
And what a final. Great match. 2 great matches in fact.
Fair dues, credit to cork for the game they put to us and jbm for being so humble. Very proud clare woman, the banner boys were outstanding
He definitely got the ride last night and fair play to him
As a Clare woman who was at yesterday’s game, I do not agree with Martin O Briens comments. Not the view of many Clare fans.
Just wakeing up in us its great feeling to be from clare
Well done to shane and Clare on a fantastic win. Also hard luck to cork who played their part in a brilliant game. A a mayo fan, it gives me hope to see so many young players on that Clare team, time to bring in a few of our minor winning team.
Up da banner
Whats it say about waterford thst davy could not get them all the way
A journalist just used the word got in their opening sentence. Tut tut! There’s no such word as got.
You got a few red thumbs there. Maybe people have gotten tired of pedantic corrections.