“I think this is the last piece of the jigsaw.” New Zealand beat Ireland in yet another World Cup quarter final, and it’s hard not to look back on Shane Horgan’s pre-match comments and feel like it jinxed them. The game itself was incredible as the All Blacks got off to a brilliant start, going […]

2 years ago

“The speed – that was the biggest thing. The noise, speed and intensity.” Back on February 5th 2000, Ireland went to Twickenham and got the mother and father of all beatings from a ruthless England side. Warren Gatland’s side looked to be carrying a three-month hangover from a World Cup campaign that had seen them […]

4 years ago

And this coming from a guy that insists he is a fan of the Scotland outhalf. Six minutes into Scotland’s Six Nations encounter with France and the game was going at a rate of knots. Seeking to give his teammates some respite, Finn Russell put a long put down the pitch. Unfortunately for Russell and […]

4 years ago

“Listen, that happens 100% of the time. I’m yesterday’s news!” The last time I spoke with Shane Horgan, for an Energia event out at the Donnybrook stadium that now holds their name, I was scolded afterward for not asking about his sister, Sharon. Wary of avoiding a repeat, this interview with Horgan – 69 times […]

4 years ago

“There was a time when you would enter the Six Nations with damage limitation in mind.” Ireland went into the first ever Six Nations, back in February 2020, with work to do to restore the public confidence. They had exited the World Cup earlier than anticipated having fallen 28-24 to Argentina in a quarter final […]

6 years ago

“My first inter-pro was against Munster down in Dooradoyle and was in front of 300 people. It was like 10 years later and we played them in a sold-out Croke Park.” With plenty of promise and ‘a body like a one-iron’, Shane Horgan was drafted into Leinster’s senior squad for the 1998/99 season. Between club […]

7 years ago