46 ...............Thursday, March 15, 2018 1RM 1RM Thursday, March 15, 2018 ............... 47 Saturday, 2.45pm Twickenham GRANDGRAND SLAMSLAM SATURDAYSATURDAY ENGLANDENGLAND vv IRELANDIRELAND TV3 & ITV SCHMIDT . extra spice EDDIE JacobJac From Back Page emerged of the insult, made during a leadership talk Jones gave last July, four months after his first loss in charge at the Aviva GENERATION GAMES targetstar Stadium ended English hopes of a Grand Slam. Jones said: “We’ve played 23 Tests and we’ve Smashing rivals is a family tradition for the Casey clan only lost one Test to the scummy Irish. I’m still dirty about that game but LASTLAST month,month DanDan CaseyCasey achievedachieved herohero highhigh pointpoint ofof thatthat FiveFive NationsNations asas IrelandIreland lostlost thethe andand goinggoing upup toto taketake highhigh ballsballs inin GaelicGaelic helpedhelped bbyy ttripsrips ttoo wwatchatch NewcastleNewcastle FFalconsalcons aand,nd, llastast year,year, we’ll get that back, don’t status among Bohemians fans when his remainder of their games and finished up with the me to get up for a header.” he was at Ireland’s defeat att MMurrayfieldurrayfield wwithith worry. We’ve got them wooden spoon. Soccer was the one he liked most and felt he was James Talbot, a keeper from Finglas still with Sun- two goals inside ten minutes helped He recalled: “We should have been a team to beat best at. Pat suggests he may have made a mistake derland. Dan said: “It was his first rugby game.” next year at home.” By NEIL anybody. We had really top-class players like Noel but that kids these days are “hypnotised” by the But there are no regrets about the path he chose. perfectper turn a 1-0 deficit against Shamrock The Australian’s apology Murphy, Willie John McBride and Mike Gibson. I money and “razzmatazz” on offer. He said: “There are other times when you’re was released by the Rugby Rovers into a 3-1 win. don’t know what happened. Pat said: “He got a try against I can’t remember watching Champions League and thinking, ‘This is Football Union, whose But when it comes to getting important O’RIORDAN “We beat England at Twickenham and for some who at Donnybrook in a cup match and there was what I want’.” spokeswoman added: scores against traditional rivals, he did not unknown reason, we just didn’t gel. definitely quality there. He has not got to that stage yet. He parted com- “Eddie has apologised for lick it off a stone. Chief Sports Writer “Then they changed the team. I think that was “He would have been a very good player but of pany with the Black Cats last summer and, rather his inappropriate remarks, Ireland will complete a Six Nations Grand Slam the only team Willie John was ever dropped from. course I’d say that anyway.” than hang around in England or join Bray Jesus, when you think of that . ” But that is not just familial bias there as, had STOCK ON and the RFU is also very if they win away to England on Saturday, but Wanderers, he decided to link up with his THE RISE . they have come out on top in only 13 of their 47 sweeping move in Ireland’s 22 which was rounded The following year, Ireland fared better, again Dan not gone to Sunderland, he would most likely ex-Joey’s coach Keith Long. sorry for any offence off by Casey. Ireland’s new caused and will apologise championship visits to Twickenham. beating the Red Rose, as well as Scotland and have joined the Leinster Academy. Rugby connections with Bohs are nothing new. A highlight you would imagine, but he recalls drawing with France, but, at the age of 23, Casey’s Dan explained: “They said, ‘If football doesn’t Kevin O’Flanagan was capped by both the FAI and poster boy to the IRFU and WRU.” And Dan’s grandfather Pat was one of the heroes his try against Wales in 1963 — which ended a Slam international career was over. work out, come back and play rugby, you’re still the IRFU while with the Gypsies. Stockdale is That reference to the in 1964, when he grabbed one of four tries as 31-year wait for an Ireland win in Cardiff — with Ireland triumphed 18-5, their first victory there He explained: “I played in the interpros in ’66 young, you can still make a career if you work But the appointment of Southsider Long has chasing try WRU related to Jones also greater fondness. and that was that. They just didn’t think I was hard’. I don’t know, it’s easy saying it now. record at referring to Wales as a since the 1948 Slam. In between, he played against the All Blacks — helped re-establish it — midfielder Oscar Centre-half Dan left Dublin — and what might good enough, I suppose.” “One of the lads on my team is playing for Brennan’s brother Harry is a winger Twickenham ‘little s*** place’ with only who were on a tour which saw them win 34 times, But he left enough of a legacy to inspire his son the Ireland Under-20s, Eoghan Clarke. He have been a promising career in either rugby draw once and lose once in their 36 fixtures — for Lansdowne and lines out for three million people when or Gaelic football — at the age of 15 to join Bill — who played with Lansdowne — and grandson was a great player. the Ireland clubs side against comparing their historical twice in seven weeks. They were narrow losses in Dan, both of whom followed in his footsteps by “I remember playing against James Sunderland, who leave nothing to chance at their both instances, 6-5 with the national team while he Scotland tomorrow. success to Japan — whom state-of-the-art Academy of Light. attending Monkstown CBC. Ryan, when he was already 6ft 5in at 15, And, although his mobility is scored a try in Leinster’s 11-8 defeat. Dan recalled: “There were pictures in the house and Jordan Larmour. James Ryan was a he coached at the 2015 But life as a sports star was a little different He recalled: “It was an intercept.” restricted, Pat was at Daly- Rugby World Cup — who when ex-centre and winger Pat — who played club and I’d always be asking what was going on in different breed. If he was running at mount for the finest moment When asked how far out he was, without pausing, them. I’d see the caps, my Dad used to show me. you, you’re thinking, ‘How am I going have 125m inhabitants. rugby for UCD and Lansdowne — was in his pomp. he mischievously replied: “One hundred yards”, safe yet of his grandson’s career. dunk Despite the apology, the Capped 12 times between 1963 and 1965 — scoring He was obviously very good.” to get this man down?’” He said: “I couldn’t believe in the knowledge there is no video footage to At times, Dan allowed his mind comments will add extra three tries — he recalled how he learned of his contradict him, unlike his exploits in Twickenham, He too showed a talent for the sport, as well as the state of the place, with selection at international level. soccer with St Joseph’s Boys and Gaelic football to wander. grass on the terraces. I hadn’t spice as Ireland eye up a which was one of the first rugby games televised He said: “At Sunderland, if you’re Grand Slam of their own. He said: “You got a letter to say, ‘Turn up’ and live in Ireland. with Cuala. been there since I was being JACOBJACOB STOCKDALESTOCKDALE hashas hadhad a By OWEN COWZER you’d turn up in the Shelbourne Hotel. You’d be On pitting his wits against New Zealand, he Dan added: “In the morning, I might play a rugby going through a bad patch and the passed over the crowd by my dream start to his Ireland put up for the night, you’d have your breakfast, added: “There wasn’t an aura. It wouldn’t be what match for the school, in the afternoon I’d play for Six Nations is on, or even the All-Ire- Dad, who was a soccer man. in. Getting it even slightly wrong land, you’re thinking, ‘Imagine playing career — but insists he is still then you’d have a team talk and you’d go out. we would see it to be now. It was good to do it but Cuala and the next day, I’d have a match for Joey’s. “But it was great. The noise chasing perfection. could again have seen the try go “It was very amateur but a fella like Mike it’s not the same it is now.” “It was very busy but it actually helped me. I in that match now, it would be bril- was unbelievable. You the other way. Gibson, they trained and played like a professional.” And a win over England this weekend would also took what I could from the other sports — liant, do I want to do this?’” wouldn’t get that craic and The Ulster wing has lit up this He explained: “I was trying to It was Gibson, on his debut, who started the carry greater significance. In 1964, it was the sole the aggression from rugby — His love of rugby was indulged repartee at a rugby match.” year’s Six Nations Championship, get myself into the best defensive crossing for six tries to date to position, so that if he threw a equal the competition record.