The battle of wounded knee

Charlie Mulqueen speaks to a fit-again Ronan O’Gara, eager to show in today’s Celtic Cup final that he has a meaningful part to play in the Lions tour to New Zealand.

THEY came at him breathing fire, just like Dragons are expected to. The number ten took the pass expertly, swung his right leg at the ball and cleared the danger. As he did so, however, they caught him, the leg bent grotesquely and the thousands at Rodney Parade winced.

You didn’t need to be a doctor to realise serious damage had been caused. The luckless victim, Ronan O’Gara, feared the worst. And that’s why, six weeks later, he is counting his lucky stars and happily contemplating his second Lions tour in four years.