Inside the Lions’ Den

What about her eyes!

Tommy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:42:06 +0000

The season is over and I am now on my holidays!!! Five weeks off, the Ospreys have given me, which is the longest I have ever had. It has been an amazing season for me personally. Twelve months ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of playing in a Lions test match, never mind all three and one at centre. (more…)

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We’ll give it socks for the pride on Saturday

Tommy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:14:57 +0000

I’m so happy to be given the chance to play in the centre this week.

Getting to play 13 will be a great challenge, though I feel comfortable there already having played almost half the season and most of the Heineken cup matches there for the Ospreys. (more…)

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Lost for words after missed opportunity

Tommy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:30:43 +0000

I’m a little lost on what to say. The series is now over which is quite hard to come to terms with. Having been in front the whole game and to lose it in a last minute kick is probably the worst feeling I have ever experienced. Walking off the pitch and into the changing room was very tough having been so close to winning the Test. The changing room after the game was like a morgue, no-one spoke for almost half an hour.

Unfortunately we all really felt there was something special within this team, we have bonded, as I have said throughout this tour, so well and to have won every game in the build up I really thought I was going to be part of something that would go down in history. To be brought back to reality now having lost the series is a very tough pill to swallow. (more…)

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Sleepless nights? Definitely when your bed is stolen

Tommy — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:38:01 +0000

I walked into my room today to find both Crofty’s and my bed missing. The sheets were perfectly folded on the ground, but mattresses and beds gone. I love when this starts because it’s time now to think how we’re going to get revenge. At the minute there are a few suspects who are out to get us but I can’t reveal anything at the moment.

Any good ideas to get revenge will be greatly appreciated, but we need something pretty extreme to make sure people will not pick on us again! (more…)

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Harry aside, we’re quite a learned bunch

Tommy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:30:57 +0000

Due to the numerous knocks us rugby players take to the head people assume we are a little bit slow - or some may even suggest stupid!

This squad in particular, however, may debunk that theory and prove that us rugby players at not quite as slow as many think. (more…)

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Determined to right the wrong

Tommy — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:37:48 +0000

There were a lot of disappointed faces at breakfast this morning with the realisation that we came so close and in not winning let ourselves and the supporters down. It was a very difficult match and we made things even more difficult by giving them such a comfortable head start, leaving us with a mountain to climb. (more…)

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Not easy translating the frog word as water boy

Tommy — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:06:45 +0000

I heard the funniest joke on Monday…Donncha O’Callaghan was going to be captain of the British and Irish Lions. Ha! Ha!

Turned out this wasn’t a joke after all. No, fair play to him. Donncha is the ultimate when it comes to professionalism and a great player but is also great fun to be around when off the rugby pitch. I was delighted for him.

We are now in test week and the excitement is really starting to kick in. For players there will always be excitement before a test match but unlike the thousands of supporters starting to arrive we are here to do a job. Therefore the concentration, intensity and homework we do before the match will be more than for any other game. (more…)

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Sharks go hungry as Lions get stuck in

Tommy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:48:03 +0000

The Western Province match was always going to be difficult but we definitely made it hard work for ourselves. James Hook showed real character and balls to step up and nail that kick at the end, I can only admire players that have the nerve to do that. I wouldn’t like to think what must go through their heads.

Personally, I didn’t really enjoy the match as it was very stop-start but was happy getting over the line and helping out in Ugo’s try. (more…)

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Retro supporters cover the hard miles

Tommy — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:37:10 +0000

A very convincing win for the boys yesterday (Wednesday). The Sharks are one of top provincial sides in South Africa. Even if they were missing a few players we looked to be getting stronger and stronger as the game went on and by the end the Sharks didn’t know where to go.

The coaches and players were very happy with the end result and it sets us up nicely for a big match against the Stormers in Cape Town this Saturday. The non 22 from yesterday’s match trained this morning in preparation for the Stormers game. We fly to Cape Town this evening (Thursday). (more…)

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Squad mourns loss of wounded Lions … and ROG

Tommy — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:15:19 +0000

The squad was dealt a terrible blow yesterday as we found out that Leigh Halfpenny and Stephen Ferris were heading home. Leigh could not hold in his emotions at training when he realised his leg was not getting better. For him to join the squad late thinking his leg was better again and then to find out it’s not must be so difficult for him.

Typical Stephen on the other hand has sat in the team room and put a brave face on, trying his best to be positive, but I can only imagine what must be going on in his head. He has been outstanding on this trip so far and in my opinion was a shoo-in for a Test place. (more…)

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