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'Irish jersey wasn't good enough' for All Blacks players
Former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman has recounted how All Blacks players refused to swap jerseys with Irish players during his playing career as the ‘Irish jersey wasn’t good enough’.
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Ireland take on New Zealand in the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup in Paris on Saturday night in what is being billed as a revenge mission for Ian Foster’s men.
The simmering rivalry between the sides has become one of the most competitive in rugby union, with both teams looking for an edge and what is being touted as a 50/50 contest for the ages.
Now, former Ireland hooker Jackman has come in to bat in response to claims that the current Ireland team behaved arrogantly towards their New Zealand counterparts last year during their historic series win.
Respected Kiwi journalist Gregor Paul had suggested that Peter O’Mahony and Johnny Sexton had maybe crossed a line during the win on NZ soil. O’Mahony had infamously described NZ captain Sam Cane as a ‘s***e Richie McCaw’, while an exchange of words between Sexton and hooker Dane Coles had also apparently ruffled feathers with the New Zealanders.
In response, Jackman told an anecdote to Claire Byrne on RTE Radio 1 that showed that the Irish had been on the receiving end of some disrespectful behaviour when Jackman played against the team during his Test career.
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“I think it’s difficult to see that [arrogance] in your own country, some of the All-Black’s captains, Richie McCaw and Sean Fitzpatrick, I grew up watching them influence referees and take no prisoners on the field and rightly so. I don’t think we should apologise for that.
“These players, both All-Blacks and Ireland, are incredibly motivated and passionate about trying to win for their country. The All-Blacks had that, they had that aura about them and it’s not so long ago that I was part of an Irish team where we went in to try and swap jerseys with them after the game and the Irish jersey wasn’t good enough. They didn’t want to swap it, they told us they’d worked too hard to get that All-Blacks jersey.
“I understand that’s their choice but that was the level they were at compared to Ireland and now we’ve joined them, we haven’t surpassed them because we’ve a long way to go. But we are number one in the world, we hope we can do something special at this World Cup.
“I don’t see any arrogance in this Irish team or with the fans either. The only thing that’s changed is we actually hope we have a chance, the rankings and bookies say we have a chance. Tomorrrow we’ll see if we’re good enough to beat one of the best teams in the world and the best over the last 100 years.
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“The jersey story never got out, I’m only telling it now because we’re being accused of arrogance. The only answer to that is to get yourself to a level where they want that Irish jersey. Where they say that beating Ireland is a decent result and this Irish team have worked their way quietly to get to that level but tomorrow is another significant test like South Africa and Scotland was. There’s also that quarter-final barrier that we haven’t got past before so it’s going to be fascinating. It’ll be a bounce of the ball tomorrow if both teams play at their best so hopefully we’re lucky with that bounce of the ball.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Hard to disagree with the 5 points - with the exception that Wilson should be a squad member but, depending on the other loose forward selections, is not yet a shoo-in. McReight is. Aussie is looking a lot better this year and JS has some selection options. Also, Havili’s tendency to get caught, charged down is also a liability at times but he seemed focused (mostly) and is definitely a consideration for utility back-up. Still feel Reihana is a better prospect at 1st five for Saders.
2 Go to commentsYeah nah, still not sure on Havili tbh. Even though I’m a Crusaders fan through and through I’d be stunned if Razor considers him after seeing some of the stunning talent coming through up North.
2 Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
1 Go to commentsJust came back from the game and the atmosphere was amazing. Players stayed afterwards for more than a hour to sign stuff and take photos with fans. Great day out.
5 Go to commentsA great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
5 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
5 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
5 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
5 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
5 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
237 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
90 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
20 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
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