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Peter O'Brien: How Tadhg Furlong restored his family's scrummaging honour against Mike Ruddock

The Off the Ball team landed in New Ross, Co Wexford on Friday for our Heineken Rugby C...



Peter O'Brien: How Tadhg F...
Rugby

Peter O'Brien: How Tadhg Furlong restored his family's scrummaging honour against Mike Ruddock

The Off the Ball team landed in New Ross, Co Wexford on Friday for our Heineken Rugby Club Roadshow ahead of the Champions Cup semi-finals this weekend.

Being the home of Ireland and Lions prop Tadhg Furlong - it wasn't long before the Wexford man's name came up for discussion as Peter O'Brien, Chairman of the New Ross Rugby Club explained: "I played with James (Tadhg's father) in '86 against Bective Rangers and at the time Mike Ruddock came over to play with Bective at Number 8 but as the game went on, Mike Ruddock came in to prop against James - it didn't go well for James - it didn't go well for anyone. 

"Mike Ruddock was a Number 8 - he was very disruptive and the ref wasn't doing anything.  He was pinching, he was pulling. I remember James stood up to Mike Ruddock and said 'I'll get you for that.'"

"Roll on the years anyway - Mike Ruddock ended up coaching the Irish under-20s and Tadhg ended up on the Irish under-20s so Tadhg went up to the first training session and he was scrummaging away.

"Mike Ruddock looked down at the scrum and he said to the prop on Tadhg 'Get out of there and let me in there to see what that Wexford man is made of!'

"He goes in on Tadhg and the next thing Mike Ruddock ended up sitting on the Number 8 like a satellite dish and Tadhg says: 'That's for my father in '86!"

The full Heineken Rugby Club Roadshow can be heard here: 

Peter O'Brien: How Tadhg Furlong restored his family's scrummaging honour against Mike Ruddock

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