Does anyone know a famous rugby player?

My girlfriends brother stayed with Donncha o Callaghan family member during college and had breakfast with him at more then one occasion last year. I met Ronan o gara in a shop in the City where I live. What i'm asking does anyone know a Rugby player, I mean met them or know them quiet well to the stage where they could tell a story about them. I'm interested....

My friend's sister's ex flat mate told me once she sofa surfed in a flat share with a girl who's sister once lived with a girl who dated Dan Carter once. Does that count? Although I suspect she was merely trying to impress me with the whole story. She was that kind of a girl.

I had a bacon sandwich for breakfast. Kevin bacon is connected to everyone. I think that's a less tenuous connection personally.

My girlfriend's Mum potentially saved Tommy Bowe's career.

He was crawling around the clubhouse floor (as a baby) amongst fag ends and she saved him from several broken pint glasses.

GE

Even from you that is hilarious.

So you have a friend (highly unlikely mind but 1) who has a sister (2) who used to share a flat with a girl (3) who used to share a flat with another girl (4) who has a sister (5) who lived with another girl who dated Dan Carter (6).

Ever heard about the theory of six degrees of separation???

GE is actually a genius

No but my cousins husband is best mates with one and they went to his high profile wedding.

I have heard the stories about what they used to get up to. BUt its not really the thing to talk about on here is it!

I know a guy, who knows a guy, who coaches and manages the Lions, who knows a guy who ....... you know what I mean.  

My ex coaches son is Tommy Bowes ex flat mate.

Used to be good mates with Paddy Johns half brother - a bit of a nutter....

Oh also know one of the line judges in the Rabo/ERC quite well - well well enough to chat to, not to have influence over matches....

So the answer short answer is no, not really, but I'm good for the 6 degrees of separation game...

I know a few, but I will never let people know about their private lives.

i know ex osprey  shaun conner  and under twenties Welsh coach  byron heywood quite well . been out drinking with both of them .

LordDowlais wrote:I know a few, but I will never let people know about their private lives.

Thats unfair LD... you can't say something like that and then expect people to be content... better to say nothing at all

I used to socially mix with a former Welsh captain but not anymore. Nice enough chap, its not easy for them as wherever they go they get hassled whether its people trying to be nice or not. In the end they are just people like you and me.

Then you have fame seekers like Percy Montegomery. Whilst he was still married you used to see him and his wife occasionally in Camps Bay with their family out for a meal.  Seen them a few times that way, I recall once when out with friends we saw them in the same restaurant a few tables down.... they had faces suggesting they didn't want attention but they were all glamed up, in the premier window table and had the owner of the restaurant kissing their backside the whole time.. it was embarassing.

If they wanted a more quiet meal they shouldn't have gone to the premier location in the city, sat right bang at the front where everyone would see them and have the owner standing over them in case they wanted something immediately... it was soon after he retired and I think they missed the attention.

When I lived in Cardiff I had a chat with Gavin Henson and Charlotte Church in Reflex (the shame!).

They both seemed pretty nice people and were relatively sober (at least compared to me anyway).

It was just after the 2005 Lions so at the end of the conversation I said something like 'bad luck on the Lions, Gav'. He sort of half-smiled. I shook both their hands and said 'best of luck to you both' and walked off.

They never call!

fa0019 wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:I know a few, but I will never let people know about their private lives.

Thats unfair LD... you can't say something like that and then expect people to be content... better to say nothing at all

I used to socially mix with a former Welsh captain but not anymore. Nice enough chap, its not easy for them as wherever they go they get hassled whether its people trying to be nice or not. In the end they are just people like you and me.

Then you have fame seekers like Percy Montegomery. Whilst he was still married you used to see him and his wife occasionally in Camps Bay with their family out for a meal.  Seen them a few times that way, I recall once when out with friends we saw them in the same restaurant a few tables down.... they had faces suggesting they didn't want attention but they were all glamed up, in the premier window table and had the owner of the restaurant kissing their backside the whole time.. it was embarassing.

If they wanted a more quiet meal they shouldn't have gone to the premier location in the city, sat right bang at the front where everyone would see them and have the owner standing over them in case they wanted something immediately... it was soon after he retired and I think they missed the attention.

I live in the same street as one, Adam Jones, when we had all that snow a few years back, me and him were helping people push their cars when they were stuck, not bad having one of the strongest tightheads in the world pushing your car is it, then his wife came out and gave him a rollocking as the Ospreys were playing Munster in the HC the next day. I know a few others through my work, and ex players, but I would not go into detail about any of them, for the record two of the nicest rugby players I have ever had the fortune to know, are Simaon Easterby and Matt Dawson.

LordDowlais wrote:

fa0019 wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:I know a few, but I will never let people know about their private lives.

Thats unfair LD... you can't say something like that and then expect people to be content... better to say nothing at all

I used to socially mix with a former Welsh captain but not anymore. Nice enough chap, its not easy for them as wherever they go they get hassled whether its people trying to be nice or not. In the end they are just people like you and me.

Then you have fame seekers like Percy Montegomery. Whilst he was still married you used to see him and his wife occasionally in Camps Bay with their family out for a meal.  Seen them a few times that way, I recall once when out with friends we saw them in the same restaurant a few tables down.... they had faces suggesting they didn't want attention but they were all glamed up, in the premier window table and had the owner of the restaurant kissing their backside the whole time.. it was embarassing.

If they wanted a more quiet meal they shouldn't have gone to the premier location in the city, sat right bang at the front where everyone would see them and have the owner standing over them in case they wanted something immediately... it was soon after he retired and I think they missed the attention.

I live in the same street as one, Adam Jones, when we had all that snow a few years back, me and him were helping people push their cars when they were stuck, not bad having one of the strongest tightheads in the world pushing your car is it, then his wife came out and gave him a rollocking as the Ospreys were playing Munster in the HC the next day. I know a few others through my work, and ex players, but I would not go into detail about any of them, for the record two of the nicest rugby players I have ever had the fortune to know, are Simaon Easterby and Matt Dawson.

Sorry mate, was only kidding... you made it sound like you had some racy comprimising daily mail style info on these guys!

LordDowlais wrote:I live in the same street as one, Adam Jones, when we had all that snow a few years back, me and him were helping people push their cars when they were stuck, not bad having one of the strongest tightheads in the world pushing your car is it

Please tell me you were shouting out the scrum engagement instructions while he pushed the cars

I know a story about an open champion that is pretty racy.

But i will tell a story that involves me and a Golfing legend.. Yes its not rugby but still.


I was about 16 years old playing the Junior open held at Wentworth..

It was during lunch(so after the first 18 and waiting for the second) I walked through the club house and went to smoke a cigarette on the back veranda.

I was pretty on edge as I wasn't far of the gross lead and i smoked it really fast in about 7 long tokes. Anyway on my way back through the lounge area I got called over by a pretty official looking dude and he sat me down next to the GREAT Gary Player.

Gary player proceeded to lecture me(in a nice way) about how lucky I was and that I shouldn't be smoking and that there are people in africa that have to live like this or that etc. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life and I actually gave up smoking for a week. It probably cost me the tourny though as i was clucking for a cigarette during the final round!!!

Cyril wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:I live in the same street as one, Adam Jones, when we had all that snow a few years back, me and him were helping people push their cars when they were stuck, not bad having one of the strongest tightheads in the world pushing your car is it

Please tell me you were shouting out the scrum engagement instructions while he pushed the cars

So wait a minute... you had both Adam Jones and Tom Court pushing the cars in your street???

Philip Matthews BBC commentator and former Ireland captain is head of a university I attended briefly. I spoke to him on quite a few occasions. He is such a legend!! Always has time for a rugby chat. Probably the best commentator in the NH too.

I have a friend whose friend in London once dated Danny Cipriani (I think that's what she said anyway). Same friend also knew former Wasps and All-Black halfback Mark Robinson. Does that count?

Oh and my best friend from school went to the same University as Lawrence Dallaglio. Said he was a powerhouse back then (1991?)

I've known Chrissy Wyatt since I was young. Don't keep in touch with him now, but he's always a top bloke when I bump into him. He would usually come back to Newport around Christmas time each year, though I don't think he does now, as he has a new French wife, and they have a daughter (his second child). I know local Dragons like Shanksy (Lewis Evans) and Ash Smith briefly, my cousin has been life-long mates with them through NHSOB and Dragons Academy. It was a good night out back in the day, they would all be out in Queens Hotel when it was Walkabout (it much better as that), could see them rolling in the 'VIP Section.' Gareth Maule was there sometimes too.

Bumped into Duncan Jones down the RP business suite before. I wouldn't say I know him, but he was a really nice guy. Same with Jon Thomas, Ryan Jones and Huw Bennet. The rest kept to themselves.

No not daily mail type stuff..I met Connor Murray last month, I got so star struck. He was walking towards me and I wanted I wanted him to acknowledge me. So in the most awkward fashion ever I gave him the thumbs up and blurted out....well...con..Conner Murphy...I mean Murray. I still feel like a an idiot ha

Lote Tiquiri and his wife and kids were sitting beside me at lunch a couple of weeks ago. I dont know him at all but my brother sees him all the time in Sydney. He lives near me in Dublin and near my brother in Sydney. Coincidence.

Was taught by the late Alun Pask ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alun_Pask) , a true gent, kind and considerate teacher. Truly sad he died in a house fire.

Lived in the same street as Denzil Williams ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denzil_Williams) , when I was in my teens...

And went to school with (was a few years above) Mark Jones ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Jones_(rugby,_born_1965) - ex Welsh no 8 and dual code, not the ex winger and Scarlet's coach).

GunsGerms wrote:Lote Tiquiri and his wife and kids were sitting beside me at lunch a couple of weeks ago. I dont know him at all but my brother sees him all the time in Sydney. He lives near me in Dublin and near my brother in Sydney. Coincidence.

Either there are 2 Lote's or you're telling porkies GG!  Then again I wouldn't have been surprised if their were 2 Lote's back in the day, he was a handful of a player to contain. Such a skilled player, like JP Pietersen he looked like he was simply a big lump but he he had so much more to his game.

Uncle Clive (Burgess) that is told me loads of stories about himself and the lads he played with and against and whilst I wouldn't never tell to annonymous faces on the tinternet most of them wouldn't get through the mods .

Like most on here I have played the game and toured all over the place, some of things we done make even my toes curl now just thinking about them and I must admit I am glad none of it other than one little incident near Lincoln atracted any coverage lol.

I was at school with Dean Richards in Hinckley.

I don't know any personally (although potentially a future one) but my Dad knows former Wales player Alan Bateman quite well through work connections, also met Gareth Thomas a fair few times when he was at the Crusaders.
My former welsh teacher is also friends with James Hook's parents.
Oh and a friend almost threw up over Jamie Roberts at their medic ball

Haha bet Jamie Roberts wasn't impressed!

tigerleghorn wrote:I was at school with Dean Richards in Hinckley.

Youre old. Did he ever cheat on a test?

My ex-wife knows Eric Rush quite well or was it Eroni Clarke, I can't remember now.

I went to school with Lee Stensness, but he was a year older than me and I never met him.

No.
The answer I'm looking for is no. I don't know any.

GloriousEmpire wrote:My ex-wife knows Eric Rush quite well or was it Eroni Clarke, I can't remember now.

I went to school with Lee Stensness, but he was a year older than me and I never met him.

No.
The answer I'm looking for is no. I don't know any.

More importantly how many America's cup participants do you know?

GunsGerms wrote:

tigerleghorn wrote:I was at school with Dean Richards in Hinckley.

Youre old. Did he ever cheat on a test?

Grand bloke then, still is. I have three kids who constantly remind me how old I am, don't need you too fella  

GloriousEmpire wrote:My ex-wife knows Eric Rush quite well or was it Eroni Clarke, I can't remember now.

I went to school with Lee Stensness, but he was a year older than me and I never met him.

No.
The answer I'm looking for is no. I don't know any.

It's just a hunch GE, is your ex-wife English by any chance?

RugbyFan182 wrote:Haha bet Jamie Roberts wasn't impressed!

prob injured him for four weeks

tigerleghorn wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

tigerleghorn wrote:I was at school with Dean Richards in Hinckley.

Youre old. Did he ever cheat on a test?

Grand bloke then, still is. I have three kids who constantly remind me how old I am, don't need you too fella  

Ok sorry.

GunsGerms wrote:

tigerleghorn wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

tigerleghorn wrote:I was at school with Dean Richards in Hinckley.

Youre old. Did he ever cheat on a test?

Grand bloke then, still is. I have three kids who constantly remind me how old I am, don't need you too fella  

Ok sorry.

I was joking guns. No apology required mate.

Tom Rees, if ex players count

I was once in an Irish pub in Wales chatting with a Kiwi bricky, who played rugby with non other than Zinzan Brooke.

True story.

tigerleghorn wrote:

GloriousEmpire wrote:My ex-wife knows Eric Rush quite well or was it Eroni Clarke, I can't remember now.

I went to school with Lee Stensness, but he was a year older than me and I never met him.

No.
The answer I'm looking for is no. I don't know any.

It's just a hunch GE, is your ex-wife English by any chance?

No kiwi as pavlova and crowded house and phar Lapp and lamingtons. She didn't know he was a rugby player, wondered why so many strangers kept coming up and saying hello.

So she isn't english, she isn't a kiwi and isn't a russian australian-.!!

Through the 70s and before (I guess) a lot of kids like me new famous players because they were local blokes who played for their locla team.

Ebbw Vale for example had Clive Burgess, Ian Watkins, Steve Jones and more later Kingsley Jones. All lived locally and all were well known around the town.

Don't know any personally

But a mate is good friends with Beaver. Goes fishing, played rugby and gets on the pee with him. Top man apparently.

My Quins English mate who reckons he's Welsh came over for the lions in 2005 and stayed with us. Went to our local and Neil Jenkins was having a few drinks. My mate wet himself and buggered off for 20 to talk to him. Nice of Neil to indulge him. My mate was pumped about it.

Jinks will talk to anyone he is genuinely one of the nice guys as for that matter so is Wilkinson. Met him few times when he was playing and I was living in Newcastle, always had time to chat and loved the relatively annonimity the North East gave him.

oh my uncle also used to work with Rob Andrew, and I believe they were neighbours with either SCW or a former aussie coach when they first emigrated to aus

Rob Andrew played rugby

ChequeredJersey wrote:Rob Andrew played rugby

yeah had a brain fade, still feeling the effects from last nights social. Uni is such a hard life!

ChequeredJersey wrote:Rob Andrew played rugby

Well its debatable  

Had a pint with Eric Elwood.

My mate went to school with him.

Was on a night out in Galway few years back, we bumped into him. So had a pint.

Decent bloke.

Met Kieran Dawson at the Bournemouth 7's few years back.
Invited me and a mate to have a few beers after his team were knocked out. Have to say, thought he was another decent bloke.

When Aaron Mauger was 17 he played a full season with my under 20 team in Dublin. We had an unbelievable season with him at 10, a real nice guy too. His ability even then was unbelievable, scoring conversions with either foot, ridiculous passes and spencer like dummy passes.

Managed to get a to a leinster u20 final but he had to fly back before the final....and lost it!