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The days when Ireland couldn t buy a win against Italy
The story of Ireland’s hat-trick of Italian humiliations in the mid-90s is one of farce and bad planning. Garry Doyle By Garry Doyle Saturday 27 Feb 2021, 8:36 AM Feb 27th 2021, 8:36 AM 22,673 Views 13 Comments
WHEN NICK POPPLEWELL stood in the car park of an Alan Partridge-type hotel in May 1995, a bitter reality dawned. Professionalism was on the way into rugby but the bus to bring Popplewell and his Irish team mates to the Stadio Comunale di Monigo in Treviso, was not.
Time passed. The players stood still. The man from the IRFU made a series of frantic phone calls. No joy. No bus, either. Kick-off for Ireland’s fifth international of the year – a crucial warm-up ahead of that year’s World Cup – was fast approaching. And the Ireland international
49 - Reggie Corrigan - Leinster, Ireland (47 caps). Honours: Celtic League 2001.
Corrigan is one of those who had made the breakthrough during the difficult days of the 1990s and had a period out of the international picture before becoming the cornerstone of the Irish scrum around the 2003 World Cup.
A consistent performer who was rock solid at the set-piece, he captained Leinster to the Celtic League triumph in 2001 and retired in 2006.
48 - Shane Byrne - Leinster, Saracens, Ireland (41 caps). Honours: Celtic League 2001, Lions 2005 (4 Tests).
A late bloomer, Byrne had to bide his time until Keith Wood retired, but once he got his chance the Blackrock hooker made the most of it.
49 - Reggie Corrigan - Leinster, Ireland (47 caps). Honours: Celtic League 2001.
Corrigan is one of those who had made the breakthrough during the difficult days of the 1990s and had a period out of the international picture before becoming the cornerstone of the Irish scrum around the 2003 World Cup.
A consistent performer who was rock solid at the set-piece, he captained Leinster to the Celtic League triumph in 2001 and retired in 2006.
48 - Shane Byrne - Leinster, Saracens, Ireland (41 caps). Honours: Celtic League 2001, Lions 2005 (4 Tests).
A late bloomer, Byrne had to bide his time until Keith Wood retired, but once he got his chance the Blackrock hooker made the most of it.