Rugby

Gregor Townsend has dig at Ronan O’Gara over ‘mouthy’ comment

Glasgow coach retweets former Ireland outhalf’s pre-match comments on RTÉ

Ronan O’Gara was working as an analyst for RTÉ on the Scotland v Ireland game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Sat Feb 4 2017 - 22:07

The bad blood between Scotland and Ireland spilled beyond Saturday's Six Nations clash as Gregor Townsend took a Twitter dig at Ronan O'Gara.

Scotland toppled Ireland 27-22 at Murrayfield to make good on entering the tournament with high hopes, then Glasgow boss Townsend stoked the fires with former Ireland and Munster outhalf O’Gara.

O’Gara told RTÉ before kick-off in Edinburgh: “I hope Ireland hammer Scotland today for the way they behaved in the week.

“Too mouthy, they can’t back it up. I was brought up with a mentality that you work hard and talk about it afterwards.”

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But after Scotland's impressive victory Townsend retweeted a video of O'Gara's comments in a clear riposte at the implied criticism of Vern Cotter's side talking up their Six Nations chances.

Munster were incensed by Townsend's Glasgow side's tactics in targeting scrumhalf Conor Murray when the Thomond Park province won 14-12 in Scotland in Champions Cup action last month.

Murray even admitted he was “properly pissed off” with the treatment he felt was a series of cheap shots targeting his standing leg when he went to kick the ball.

Scotland explicitly vowed to repeat the same treatment for Murray when Ireland pitched up in Edinburgh.

While Murray endured a frustrating afternoon in Ireland’s defeat he did not suffer any particular roughhousing this time around.

But that did not stop Townsend adding another layer of niggle to the frosty relations between provinces and now national sides.

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