“Andy Farrell thinks that in six months’ time, he’s someone that’s going to be incredibly special.”
Four days after Warren Gatland said those words, Garry Ringrose ripped Clermont Auvergne a new one.
The Leinster centre was a sensation during his team’s gutting 27-22 loss to the French side, on Sunday. The 22-year-old, deemed surplus to Gatland’s Lions requirements this summer, made 134 metres in gains off 16 carries that included nine defenders beaten. His one and only clean break wasn’t half bad…
Garry Ringrose's head-turning solo score for @LeinsterRugby is the first nominee for #TryOfTheRound.
Vote 👉🏻 https://t.co/NxGd4hmR5T pic.twitter.com/sJsIWQhwK6
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 24, 2017
On the day after Gatland named his 41-man Lions squad, Ronan O’Gara was on The Hard Yards rugby podcast and made some valid points about Ringrose missing out.
https://soundcloud.com/thehardyardssportsjoe/episode-12-lions-squad-reaction-champions-cup-preview-and-andy-powell-antics
O’Gara felt Ringrose should be in the squad and did not think Gatland saying he was ‘very unlucky’ to miss out would do anything for him. He said:
“It’s extremely annoying for him. You know, did Ben Te’o dream of playing for the Lions? I wouldn’t think so. I didn’t think it featured maybe until about 12 months ago.
“Garry Ringrose, I’d say, dreamt about it all his life. That’s why it’s tough when you [miss out]. He’s been exceptional and, I think, his acceleration and growth would be huge on a tour like that.
“Obviously he is the next man in, if that’s what Warren has said, and hopefully he’ll get a chance to show what he can do. When you’re yet so close and you get it, that’s really, really difficult.”
It was put to O’Gara and Stephen Ferris, who was also in studio, that Brian O’Driscoll had been putting forward Ringrose’s case for Lions selection and ‘had Gatland’s ear’. It got a bawdy response:
Ferris: “I don’t think so.”
O’Gara: “Jonathan Davies might have his ear!”
Joking aside, why the f**k is Ringrose not in the flipping Lions squad?!
