Trevor Brennan: ‘Rog? Here he’s seen as a bit of a loose cannon, but he backs it up'

O’Gara’s spirit of adventure would have to appeal to a man who left Leinster and Ireland to become a central figure in Toulouse’s three Heineken Cup final appearances from 2003 to 2005

AN IRISHMAN ABROAD: Trevor Brennan outside Brennan’s Bar in Castelginest with the Bouclier de Brennus and Hika Elliot, the former Chief’s hooker, and former All Blacks legend and former Toulouse player Jerome Kaino (right). ‘After games, I’d have a reception and stuff and they’d flock out to the bars. They know they don’t get hassle,’ says Brennan. Pic: Facebook

On the blower from Toulouse, Trevor Brennan is still chuckling at that viral Ronan O’Gara quasilingual “L'opportunité c'est fucking énorme!” motivational speech for his La Rochelle players. “Ah for fuck’s sake. I thought it was a sketch. I didn’t think it was actually real.” 

More than two decades in France has seen Trevor lose touch slightly with the thriving Irish impressionist scene, but he still has the air of it.