No excuses, says O’Callaghan

DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN insists the ticket turmoil and empty seats that greeted Ireland on a historic day at the Aviva Stadium will not be used as an excuse for Saturday’s defeat tostruggling South Africa.

The build up to the first of the Guinness Autumn Internationals was overshadowed by a dispute between the IRFU and the grassroots clubs over the cost and manner in which tickets were to be distributed.

The new stadium was not filled to capacity for the visit of the world champions but the Munster giant insisted that the off-field row had not impacted on the focus of the players for the glamour clash.