Does anyone know a famous rugby player?

First topic message reminder :

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....

The late great Jack Matthews (Bleddyn Williams's centre partner for Cardiff, Wales and the Lions) was our family doctor when I was a boy. Every time I went to the doctor he looked to be in need of treatment himself - cuts, bruises, swelling, etc!

Played with and against Luther Burrell between the ages of 6 and 18. His dad coached our academy team when he was off with Leeds - fearsome character and great bloke!

Last Monday some bloke by the name of Richie McCaw gave me an ice cream, he was doing a promo for the company that we both work for.

I was at school with Wahl Bartman. He was one year ahead of me, then went to the same University as him, once in a practice game of rugby he seared me into the ground.

Used to have a drink with the late great Victor Yates in Herekeno. Went to his funeral. See the Goings at Mid Northern most games and also Kamo Jones when he is up watching Kamo funnily enough. George North I knew when a very young lad as I then lived in the same village. Know a few others too:)

Biltong wrote:I was at school with Wahl Bartman. He was one year ahead of me, then went to the same University as him, once in a practice game of rugby he seared me into the ground.

BB do you remember Hendrik Daffue? I believe he was a lock for FS & Transvaal during the isolation years, now a copper. Married to my old afrikaans tutor.

The All Blacks often eat at my brothers restaurant when they are in Wellington so my bro knows a few of them. Him and Dagg get on well as they had a common friend (met at his funeral sadly). My son plays for MSP same team as Victor Vito.

Have played against:

Gordan Darcy
Eoin Reddan
Bob Casey

and with

Darcy and Reddan a few times.

Met the Kearney brothers and Fergus Mc Fadden a few times. Have met Shane Jennings a few times too.

fa0019 wrote:

Biltong wrote:I was at school with Wahl Bartman. He was one year ahead of me, then went to the same University as him, once in a practice game of rugby he seared me into the ground.

BB do you remember Hendrik Daffue? I believe he was a lock for FS & Transvaal during the isolation years, now a copper. Married to my old afrikaans tutor.

Sorry mate, doesn't ring a bell.

I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

doctornickolas wrote:I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

Good story. Love that stuff.

Biltong wrote:

fa0019 wrote:

Biltong wrote:I was at school with Wahl Bartman. He was one year ahead of me, then went to the same University as him, once in a practice game of rugby he seared me into the ground.

BB do you remember Hendrik Daffue? I believe he was a lock for FS & Transvaal during the isolation years, now a copper. Married to my old afrikaans tutor.

Sorry mate, doesn't ring a bell.

played mainly in the 80s with chaps like Gysie Pienaar, think he had a reasonably long career but given he didn't play tests he's less well known. My skoenpa recalls him barely, the name but not the player. Apparently he would have been a bok had SA not been in isolation but thats for another day.

doctornickolas wrote:I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

                          at six feet ten he could pat  most people on head .  Im five ,eleven and James hook walked pass me in a pub in swansea once , he looked six two , six three surprisingly

GunsGerms wrote:

doctornickolas wrote:I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

Good story. Love that stuff.

My other little story is we were out down the Mumbles one night and had had a couple of shandies. My mate went to the toilets, and a little buoyed up with booze, said to the guy at the urinals, "shift up fatty" and was more than a little concerned when Scott Gibbs turned around. Luckily Scott said nothing and just moved up.

In South Africa, Scott Gibbs is positively trim compared.

Gibbes is probably harder though.

then Kobus Weise!!!! if he could reach him.

Was at school with Paul Thorburn, Welsh captain.

Bought our first house in New Zealand off Greg Somerville the All Black prop.

Through the Crusaders season ticket package meet them quite a few times at supporters BBQ's aand after games in the hospitality lounge.
Played golf with " Aussie McLean " and whilst on the golf front Maureen Madill the commentator is an old girl friend

doctornickolas wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

doctornickolas wrote:I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

Good story. Love that stuff.

My other little story is we were out down the Mumbles one night and had had a couple of shandies. My mate went to the toilets, and a little buoyed up with booze, said to the guy at the urinals, "shift up fatty" and was more than a little concerned when Scott Gibbs turned around. Luckily Scott said nothing and just moved up.

I took a urine beside Tommy Bowe at the urinals in Dundrum shopping centre.

GunsGerms wrote:

doctornickolas wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

doctornickolas wrote:I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

Good story. Love that stuff.

My other little story is we were out down the Mumbles one night and had had a couple of shandies. My mate went to the toilets, and a little buoyed up with booze, said to the guy at the urinals, "shift up fatty" and was more than a little concerned when Scott Gibbs turned around. Luckily Scott said nothing and just moved up.

I took a urine beside Tommy Bowe at the urinals in Dundrum shopping centre.

Did you get stage fright?

Not gonna lie I always get stage fright.

fa0019 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

doctornickolas wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

doctornickolas wrote:I knew Dai Young at school although he was a couple of years older than me and went to Uni with lots of names, including Rob Howley who was on my course and I knew quite well then. Don't really know any now though.

Tom Shanklin lives around the corner and drops his kids off at the same school as mine but I have never spoken to him.

I played against Derwyn Jones once for our school. He was captain of their team and our captain was about 5'5" and once they had shook hands and tossed the coin Derwyn patted our captain on the head as he was most of his eventual 6'10" at that age. Our captain was pretty embarrassed.

Good story. Love that stuff.

My other little story is we were out down the Mumbles one night and had had a couple of shandies. My mate went to the toilets, and a little buoyed up with booze, said to the guy at the urinals, "shift up fatty" and was more than a little concerned when Scott Gibbs turned around. Luckily Scott said nothing and just moved up.

I took a urine beside Tommy Bowe at the urinals in Dundrum shopping centre.

Did you get stage fright?

He is only showing off now..

that he goes to Dundrum Shopping centre...

It is a nice shopping centre.

It is a nice shopping centre...

is it the sort of place you can buy the America's Cup 2013 highlights DVD?

Absolutely....Dundrum caters for all sorts of pretentious cr.p

Just to add not saying Americas cup highlights are pretentious or anything like that...

Met and had a few beers with Mal O'Kelly, Reggie Corrigan, Gavin Duffy and Paul O'Connell after the first SA test in Bloemfontein in 2004. Peter Stringer was there sipping a nice glass of water in the roped off area not talking to anyone. ROG was also there not talking to anyone but more from the lack of ability to talk than avoiding us drunken fools.
Have met Mal several times since and he's a sound bloke.
Played against Shane Byrne twice, 20 years apart. The latest was two years ago and he played no. 8 for Arklow.
Have met Des Fitzgerald and Alain Rolland many times through work. Des tries to be quite intimidating and to be fair he is still a big strong guy. Allain is sound enough, very professional.
I was in the company of a current Irish international years ago before he was capped. There was a drinking game involved. He used his left hand when it should have been his right and he had to lick a mates testicle as a forfeit.

ME-109 wrote:Absolutely....Dundrum caters for all sorts of pretentious cr.p

Just to add not saying Americas cup highlights are pretentious or anything like that...

Its just a shopping centre with shops. Think you need to branch out a little ME-109. I'm sure its no different to what you get in Limerick/Cork etc.

Played golf with Rory Lawson and HRH Tindall, they only did 9 holes each (due to hard training that morning apparently) whereas I did full 18, 9 with each. HRH was subbed off at half time. Rory was a pleasant company, we spoke fondly of his grandad the legend Bill McLaren..although I only knew Bill via the telly.

Got a faded old photo of me and Will Carling in a bar in Dublin. England having earlier lost to Ireland.

Submachine wrote:Met and had a few beers with Mal O'Kelly, Reggie Corrigan, Gavin Duffy and Paul O'Connell after the first SA test in Bloemfontein in 2004. Peter Stringer was there sipping a nice glass of water in the roped off area not talking to anyone. ROG was also there not talking to anyone but more from the lack of ability to talk than avoiding us drunken fools.
Have met Mal several times since and he's a sound bloke.
Played against Shane Byrne twice, 20 years apart. The latest was two years ago and he played no. 8 for Arklow.
Have met Des Fitzgerald and Alain Rolland many times through work. Des tries to be quite intimidating and to be fair he is still a big strong guy. Allain is sound enough, very professional.
I was in the company of a current Irish international years ago before he was capped. There was a drinking game involved. He used his left hand when it should have been his right and he had to lick a mates testicle as a forfeit.

Was it Luke Fitzgerald?

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:Absolutely....Dundrum caters for all sorts of pretentious cr.p

Just to add not saying Americas cup highlights are pretentious or anything like that...

Its just a shopping centre with shops. Think you need to branch out a little ME-109. I'm sure its no different to what you get in Limerick/Cork etc.

All we have down here are turnip shops....

I saw Christophe Lamaison in the Queens Vaults in Cardiff ahead of Wales v Scotland in the Six Nations a couple of seasons ago. I didn't speak to him, but what a ledge.