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'I have always played fairly': Peter O'Mahony breaks silence on his Six Nations red card

(Photo by Getty Images)

Peter O’Mahony has broken his silence about the red card he was shown when playing for Ireland in the opening round of this year’s Guinness Six Nations. The back row was banished by referee Wayne Barnes for contact to the head of Wales’ Tomas Francis.

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The February 7 sending-off for what was deemed reckless play resulted in a three-match for the 31-year-old who has since seen Rhys Ruddock and Tadhg Beirne (twice) wear the No6 Ireland jersey in his absence.

Now back in the mix and available for selection to play against England in next Saturday’s championship finale, O’Mahony has reflected on the red card incident 37 days after 14-man Ireland were beaten by the Welsh in Cardiff.

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Johnny Sexton looks ahead to Ireland versus England and reflects on CJ Stander’s retirement

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Johnny Sexton looks ahead to Ireland versus England and reflects on CJ Stander’s retirement

“When it comes to breakdown and it comes to international rugby you have got to be incredibly urgent, you have got to be incredibly accurate and you have got to bring physicality and these incidents happen,” he explained.

“It’s a very physical game. I have always played hard, I have always played fairly in my opinion. Look, I 100 per cent was wrong in what happened in the incident but the guys know better than anyone, my teammates know that I was acting on the best intent to make the best intention for the team that day and unfortunately that is what happened.

“I don’t think they will be looking for me to put in any different performance that I go out any other week to play for Ireland, that would be unjust to the jersey. I go out every time to play as best as I can and more importantly than anyone the lads around me know that.

“It’s been hard,” he added when asked about coping with his enforced layoff. “It’s different when you are injured, you’re on a different buzz. But when you are fit and healthy and ready to go and you are raring to go and you can’t it makes it a little tougher.

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“But I spent a couple of great weeks with Munster, training with the A team, trying to help the seniors prepare for their games, back in here last week to prepare the lads as best as possible which I certainly enjoyed but I am not going to make any bones about it. I’m looking forward to getting back playing.”

While O’Mahony’s suspension coincided with him agreeing to a two-year IRFU central contract extension, CJ Stander, his similarly aged Munster and Ireland colleague, has taken a very different decision, spurning a new deal in preference of retiring from rugby next summer.

Very shocked when he told us all last night,” said O’Mahony about the South African back row who first came to Ireland in 2012. “I didn’t see it coming, I don’t think anyone did, but he explained his reasons and his reasons are very valid ones, very noble ones and everyone will respect his decision.

“The man has given an incredible amount to not just Ireland but Munster as well, Limerick, an incredible teammate and he has got to give a bit back to his family who have sacrificed a huge amount for him. We will hopefully make this week and the couple of months he has left to play with us and me certainly as special as we can.

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“From the day he arrived in Munster he did his best to buy into our culture and now he is creating bits of our culture. I’d always think who do kids look up to? You want to be someone who the young fellas look up to and it’s a nice compliment to give to someone, that there are kids around probably not just Ireland, around the British Isles and beyond, who want to be like CJ which is a huge compliment.

“He is an incredible family man, which he has spoken about and how important that is to him, an incredible friend and an incredible teammate. I can’t say much more… it’s no secret that he has never had a long-term injury or any sort of an injury at all.

“It’s down to how he looks after himself, his professionalism, his recovery, he brings an incredible edge, not just when it comes to the weekend but in training as well. He is an immaculate trainer, incredibly coachable which is something I would rate him also as one of the best.

“His ability to listen and learn new skills, like the player he arrived as and the player he is now, he has come such a long way and he has lapped up the great coaches that myself and himself have spent a huge amount of time with.

“Just a competitor, you can see it in him. We have all watched him play 50 off times for Ireland and way over 100 for Munster. He is just competitive with everything. That is what makes him such an incredible teammate.”

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J
JPM 42 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 45 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

10 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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