IRFU defends ROG’s pocket pose during team lineout with Queen

ACCUSATIONS from fans that rugby star Ronan O’Gara deliberately snubbed Queen Elizabeth II at a civic reception at Hillsborough Castle have been kicked into touch by the IRFU.

The Irish team and past legends gathered for a civic reception on Thursday held to honour their Grand Slam victory.

However, pictures released from the meeting seem to portray a petulant and disinterested O’Gara keeping his hands firmly out of bounds.

Yesterday, as images of the gathering flooded the web, O’Gara was heavily criticised by several web threads of being “disrespectful” and “disgraceful”.

In one image, team captain Brian O’Driscoll can be seen with his hand over his mouth when watching O’Gara’s royal encounter. A comment from one appalled Munster fan said: “The Irish team were being congratulated by the Queen and O’Gara stood with his hands in his pockets!”

But while it seems clear the Munster fly half did not try very hard to impress, suggestions he was being deliberately disrespectful have been rubbished.

Responding to claims, a spokesperson for the IRFU said the pictures did not tell the full story.

“The whole reception was both cordial and informal,” he said.

“In this environment, Ronan was obviously very relaxed just prior to shaking the hand and speaking with HRH, which the next sequence of the photography would show.”

Indeed, O’Gara is reported to have chatted to the Queen about her grandson William, who he met on two previous Lions tours.