The not so lean put in gut-busting effort

RUGBY: LEGENDS INTERNATIONAL:Some legends didn't even make the pitch but GAVIN CUMMISKEYwitnessed others reliving glory days for the Stuart Mangan Memorial Cup

THE IMPORTANT business first up. Last night’s renewal of acquaintances with enemies old was for the Stuart Mangan Memorial Cup.

On April 5th, 2008, Stuart was accidentally paralysed from the neck down playing for Hammersmith and Fulham RFC. He was 25 years of age. Educated at St Colman’s College, Fermoy, Rockwell College and UCC before being hired on the trading floor of BNP Paribas in London, he sadly passed away on August 7th, 2009.

The money raised from last night’s healthy four-figure gate will be donated to improving the lives of inner city youths in England and the IRFU Charitable Trust.

The Irish Timescolumnist and Irish "coach" Matt Williams informed us of the intention to continue the fixture on an annual basis with the travelling squad paying their own way.

About 30 minutes before kick-off a gaggle of not-so-lean looking Irish legends were warming up on the Donnybrook turf. Maurice Field fired a pass to Rob Henderson, who promptly skewered an attempted drop goal into the gloom. Hendo immediately doubled up in agony, clutching his right leg. We presumed he was joking. He wasn’t. An old war wound had been lying dormant. Unfortunately, the hugely valuable foil to Brian O’Driscoll in the Irish captain’s early days in green was unable to play.

The English trotted by with coach Lawrence Dallaglio clasping Reggie Corrigan’s outstretched paw. Lawrence Bruno Nero couldn’t help himself – duly togging out at number eight. On learning this we realised it might not be a jolly after all. Gallimh Mick Galwey and The Claw, Peter Clohessy, gingerly it must be said, were back on the scene so there was always the chance of some heated exchanges. However, the Munster war horses seemed grateful for the shepherd’s crook before half-time.

There were plenty of players barely out the exit door or in the case of Stan McDowell – a Heineken Cup winner with Ulster in 1999 – still slugging away in the AIL with Blackrock. We hear Stan is the wrong side of 39.

It looks like another Irish Times writer, Liam Toland, may have to undergo a cognitive test before being permitted to file his Monday column after a gut-busting sprint for glory was just denied. It eventually resulted in a turnover allowing the sharp-looking Josh Lewsey to break the deadlock down the other end.

Referee Alain Rolland, growing impatient waiting for Tim Stimpson and the kicking tee, popped over the conversion himself. Rolland (who has three Test caps) eventually gave his whistle to Tom Tierney to run a few phases.

But the biggest cheer of the evening was reserved for Irish captain Shane Byrne’s try, which included his own take on Chris Ashton’s swan-dive celebration.

The stand-up routine from the PA announcer was drawing an occasional laugh but we did like his pitch-side question for English scrumhalf Kyran Bracken: “So Kyran, how does it feel to be back in your homeland?” “Always nice to get such a warm welcome,” replied the Skerries native who was famously put through the grinding mill by a couple of the forwards on show here when Ireland beat England back in 1994.

It went the other way last night but no one was really keeping score.

IRELAND: S McDowell; J Topping, M Deane, K Maggs, A Horgan; P Burke, T Tierney; N Popplewell, S Byrne (capt), P Clohessy; M Galway, M O'Kelly; E Miller, K Dawson, A Foley.

ENGLAND: J Lewsey; D Rees, F Waters, K Sorrell, T Stimpson; A Healy, K Bracken; J Leonard, M Regan, K Yates; G Archer, B Kay; B Sturnham, M Corry (capt), L Dallaglio.

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).