Johnson: What really happened with President McAleese

IT’s become a YouTube classic, with over 350,000 hits, but England’s Martin Johnson has never explained his version of the notorious red carpet ‘snub’ to President, Mary McAleese at Lansdowne Road eight years ago.

Until now.

In an extended interview with Donal Lenihan in tomorrow’s Irish Examiner, the England rugby coach — who was captain in 2003 — explains how the pre-game formalities became headline grabbing news around the world, and insists there was no insult intended to our president.