O'Gara To Call It A Day?

First topic message reminder :

Conor George, with his tumescent mickey in one hand and his pen in the other, has written another article about Ronan O'Gara. But this time it's to announce his retirement.

As per usual, George has a few hilarious fanboy turns of phrase;

Schmidt's credentials for the job are beyond question. The only disappointment is that we won't have the chance to see what Schmidt and O'Gara might have conjured up were circumstances different...

But O'Gara will resist the urge for one more year. It is entirely probable the memory of how his international career was brought to a cruel end will discourage him from listening to the pleas to stay for one last assault on Europe's summit...

The game is in his debt for his very presence

Wonder how many times he had to pop off to the bathroom for a quick tug when he was writing this.

Anyway, that all besides the point. Its the right time for ROG to step aside after he produced what was probably his best performance of a pretty poor season by his own standards. The emergence of Jackson, Keatley and Madigan this year represents a generation shift and these are the guys who will be competing to take Ireland forward. If any one of them provides us with half of the moments of magic ROG has over the years they will be doing very well indeed. He'll be remembered as a 10 who was sometimes very limited in his general play but had one of the best kicking games from hand and from the tee of any player in world rugby and massive balls to come up with the goods in tight game after tight game.

Whats been your favourite O'Gara moment over the years?

Some of mine;

His crossfield kick for Horgans try against England- so many great scores off this tactic orchestrated by O'Gara over the years ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu_2NmTDH-E ), his cheeky tap and go that caught South Africa napping at Lansdowne Road ( https://youtu.be/ML4jARcIPSo?t=30s ) and of course; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXkaaoubGMM

Thomond...in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king...stick to the Wendyball...

Cheers for that Sin, read the comment above, you can be overrated but still incredibly good, that's what ROG was and probably what Roy Keane was.

ROG has played well when it counted this year in the crunch, I commend him for that, but wouldn't minded seeing Keatley a bit more, ROG has been unfortunate that his pack hasn't been as strong as it was in his glory days, it's a big reason why he has been less effective but there is no denying his performance droppped over the last 18 months bar certain games. He is pretty old that's to be expected and there's nothing wrong with that, he has had a career we would all love to have. What I don't get is people refusing to believe he has declined because that is a load of shoite.


It's no wonder people hate the rugby boards on here with the individual "headhunting" like. DOD criticise the arguement but leave the personal shoite to one side, this has sweet FA to do with soccer. Hope you enjoyed the Montpellier trip, nice part of the country would be savage for rugby I'd say

Thomond wrote:
It's no wonder people hate the rugby boards on here with the individual "headhunting" like. DOD criticise the arguement but leave the personal shoite to one side, this has sweet FA to do with soccer. Hope you enjoyed the Montpellier trip, nice part of the country would be savage for rugby I'd say

I agree with you about personal shoite being tiring on these boards at times when even a casual discussion decends into bullshhit for little or no reason...but, if you read back on many of the things said about O'Gara in the last number of years, on these very boards, even you will agree that the rugby arguments often fade away and ol' O'Gara is left spinning in piles of cheap-shot, ridiculing personal shoite from posters who might have kicked a ball in their day but not as many (as accurately) as the ERC best player of Europe for the first fifteen years of ERC competition. .

Personal shoite about O'Gara doesn't seem to happen on here, the issue is personal issues with posters more often then not, I have yet to see someone have a go at ROG on any personal matters.


The squabbling on Irish threads always seems to revole around NI/Ulster/Munster it's all trivial and often a load of bullshoite (personal favourite being "Protestants don't wash their fruit")

Thomond wrote:Personal shoite about O'Gara doesn't seem to happen on here, the issue is personal issues with posters more often then not, I have yet to see someone have a go at ROG on any personal matters.


The squabbling on Irish threads always seems to revole around NI/Ulster/Munster it's all trivial and often a load of bullshoite (personal favourite being "Protestants don't wash their fruit")

You have? We might have a different opinion of what's personal shoite then ...because I've seen bucket loads of it - on this site.

I would define personal matters, as someone having a go at his family, finances, things like that, I said yesterday about a tv job helping him alleviate those which may be construed as having a go if you thought I was being facetious which I wasn't. I don't think anyone has had a go at ROG for things like that. But admittedly I don't log on every day.

Thomond wrote:I would define personal matters, as someone having a go at his family, finances, things like that, I said yesterday about a tv job helping him alleviate those which may be construed as having a go if you thought I was being facetious which I wasn't. I don't think anyone has had a go at ROG for things like that. But admittedly I don't log on every day.

I wasn't having a go at you. I wouldn't class you as a personal shoite character at all. If you felt I was applying heat to you by my comments I'm afraid I'm in the dark as I wouldn't be able to suggest you've thrown shoite at all.

I was making a general comment that there are posters here who have, through the years, thrown their fair share of DODish slights, sneers and sniggering asides at O'Gara when the rugby arguments themselves weren't enough. I've witnesses those 'debates' and threads. They've happened.

Thomond it is down to lazy and shoite opinionated cr.p no matter what the argument is about and for the most part it is down to rubbish on O'Gara.

He is not a particularly cuddly individual, he hasn't been playing well overall this year. He shouldn't have been in the 6ns squad and DK made a complete f... up.

And yet he is a central figure to Irelands consistency down the years. As yet no OH is playing as well as O'Gara from circa 06 - 09.

He got us to a Semi and a score away from the Final. His legacy stands alone and there was no way in hell we would have got this far without him. The stupid cheap shots deserve all the puerile, juvenile insults.....secondly I wont have lulster supporters telling us how we as a team should be playing. Sure have an opinion but stop with the cr.p please. I don't go on Ulster or Leinster sites saying Paddy Jackson needs his nappy changed by Pienaar every 30 minutes or Jamie Heaslips perm needs redoing (apparently he is the best No.8 in the world after last weekend against 11th placed Top 14 team with an old man in opposition).

Plus you think what I say is bad!!!! If you come on here and see what happens when some individuals actually try to engage in reasoned debate. I have never or very rarely seen Sin É actually insult anyone yet he is completely and utterly vilified. You know why? Cause he actually disagrees with people on here but usually backs it up.

The hilarious thing is that he then gets accused of being unreasonable because he does not agree with the lulster combined opinion - all animals are equal but some more equal than others.....

DOD wrote:And yet he is a central figure to Irelands consistency down the years. As yet no OH is playing as well as O'Gara from circa 06 - 09.

Including O'Gara- I half considered arguing this kind of thing was a good reason for him to step aside. But if Paddy Jackson or Ian Madigan can't deal with a big shadow then they are not ready. I don't think it unduly bothers either of them tbh.

DOD wrote:Thomond it is down to lazy and shoite opinionated cr.p no matter what the argument is about and for the most part it is down to rubbish on O'Gara.

He is not a particularly cuddly individual, he hasn't been playing well overall this year. He shouldn't have been in the 6ns squad and DK made a complete f... up.

And yet he is a central figure to Irelands consistency down the years. As yet no OH is playing as well as O'Gara from circa 06 - 09.

He got us to a Semi and a score away from the Final. His legacy stands alone and there was no way in hell we would have got this far without him. The stupid cheap shots deserve all the puerile, juvenile insults.....secondly I wont have lulster supporters telling us how we as a team should be playing. Sure have an opinion but stop with the cr.p please. I don't go on Ulster or Leinster sites saying Paddy Jackson needs his nappy changed by Pienaar every 30 minutes or Jamie Heaslips perm needs redoing (apparently he is the best No.8 in the world after last weekend against 11th placed Top 14 team with an old man in opposition).

Heaslip? Let me tell you about Heaslip! He is not a particularly cuddly individual, he hasn't been playing well overall this year. He shouldn't have been in the 6ns squad and DK made a complete f... up. He got us to a Final. His legacy stands alone and there was no way in hell we would have got this far without him. The stupid cheap shots deserve all the puerile, juvenile insults....

Well, I'll stop before the juvenile,puerile stuff as I'm not too good at it.....

SecretFly wrote:

DOD wrote:Thomond it is down to lazy and shoite opinionated cr.p no matter what the argument is about and for the most part it is down to rubbish on O'Gara.

He is not a particularly cuddly individual, he hasn't been playing well overall this year. He shouldn't have been in the 6ns squad and DK made a complete f... up.

And yet he is a central figure to Irelands consistency down the years. As yet no OH is playing as well as O'Gara from circa 06 - 09.

He got us to a Semi and a score away from the Final. His legacy stands alone and there was no way in hell we would have got this far without him. The stupid cheap shots deserve all the puerile, juvenile insults.....secondly I wont have lulster supporters telling us how we as a team should be playing. Sure have an opinion but stop with the cr.p please. I don't go on Ulster or Leinster sites saying Paddy Jackson needs his nappy changed by Pienaar every 30 minutes or Jamie Heaslips perm needs redoing (apparently he is the best No.8 in the world after last weekend against 11th placed Top 14 team with an old man in opposition).

Heaslip? Let me tell you about Heaslip! He is not a particularly cuddly individual, he hasn't been playing well overall this year. He shouldn't have been in the 6ns squad and DK made a complete f... up. He got us to a Final. His legacy stands alone and there was no way in hell we would have got this far without him. The stupid cheap shots deserve all the puerile, juvenile insults....

Well, I'll stop before the juvenile,puerile stuff as I'm not too good at it.....

Ah jeez...even Victor would have looked good last weekend...

DOD wrote:

Ah jeez...even Victor would have looked good last weekend...

..but not Heaslip. Heaslip wasn't meant to look that good...it wasn't in his washed-up has-been script, was it?

Thomond wrote:Personal shoite about O'Gara doesn't seem to happen on here, the issue is personal issues with posters more often then not, I have yet to see someone have a go at ROG on any personal matters.


The squabbling on Irish threads always seems to revole around NI/Ulster/Munster it's all trivial and often a load of bullshoite (personal favourite being "Protestants don't wash their fruit")

That came from a joke blog. Have you no sense of humour. Yourself and hookie are well met.

Even Matt Williams is writing about the cheap shots in the Irish Times Thomond.

Time for knockers to say sorry to O’Gara for all the cheap shots
Munster outhalf showed that class really is permanent

All the journalists and users of social media who said Ronan O’Gara was past it, you may now apologise.
I am sure Rog will accept a short “I am sorry. I was wrong. You are still a class act” from you all.

He will take emails, phone calls, tweets, Facebook messages and even old fashioned letters. He is expecting a lot of messages because there were a lot of you who were wrong and you all took every opportunity to take cheap shots at a true Irish champion.
Form is temporary, class is permanent and Ronan O’Gara is a class act.

Ireland missed Ronan O’Gara this year. Munster came close to defeating Clermont and making the Heineken Cup final because of Rog.

There is an attacking rule that states, before you go around a team’s defence, you have to go through them. Munster tried in vain to run through a very well organised Clermont defensive line. They also tried and failed to go around the defence. Munster were caught in the type of dull, side-to-side attack we have seen from them for several seasons.

It is easy to defend and does not create space. The Munster centres could not find a gap in the Clermont line. Rob Penney must fix Munster’s lack of go forward because it is a coach killer.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/time-for-knockers-to-say-sorry-to-o-gara-for-all-the-cheap-shots-1.1375880

PS - Not many around who didn't rate Roy Keane as a footballer - that explains a lot as to where you are coming from.

Oh and Notch, your comment about ROG not liking the bench - well at least he did his duty and sat on the bench for the entire 6Ns last season. It destroyed Munster's season.

Ah yes Matt Williams, there is a reason he is writing in the Irish Times and not coaching. There's a difference between taking a cheap shot and stating the facts.

Cheap shot e.g. "ROG is only staying on playing for Munster as he needs the cash"

Facts e.g. "ROG was very inconsistent over 18 months and his good performances were few and far between"


As for Keane I love the guy, given a lot to my family and some issues we've had, you seem to not grasp the fact that you can be overrated and still be very, very good. I don't think Roy Keane was Ireland's greatest ever soccer player yet he is the only one to make the FIFA 100, that's why he is one of those overrated. I'm from Cork, I'm biologically engineered to defend Roy Keane on issues such as Saipan.


As for the joke, I didn't realise that was supposed to be funny, because it wasn't, you do give the odd hilarious moment I give you that.

Sin é wrote:Oh and Notch, your comment about ROG not liking the bench - well at least he did his duty and sat on the bench for the entire 6Ns last season. It destroyed Munster's season.

See this is the problem. I made no comment about ROG not liking the bench (although I'm certain like most players he doesn't- a player who is happy warming the bench isn't much use to anybody).

I said I didn't think he would stay on if he wasn't considered to be first choice in Munster. Maybe I'm right and maybe I'm wrong, but you've exaggerated it into some slur or perceived slight on the guy in your head.

Too many fence sitters on here.

ROG is an overrated, Roy Keane wannabe, fruit washing gobshoite.

You can be overrated and still be incredibly good though, which ROG certainly was, he had his limits like most outhalves but he and his coaches maximised the skillset he had. John Hayes was "underrated" for so long, people said it so often that it lost all meaning, and therefore he was rated ,same for Michael Carrick.

Thomond wrote:You can be overrated and still be incredibly good though, which ROG certainly was, he had his limits like most outhalves but he and his coaches maximised the skillset he had. John Hayes was "underrated" for so long, people said it so often that it lost all meaning, and therefore he was rated ,same for Michael Carrick.

When he was good, he was sublime. When he was bad, he was atrocious. And in the middle of it all he's carved out a career 99% of pro rugby players would be incredibly envious of.

I guess I should have expected the brickbats for anything other than a hagiography that overlooked the bad as well as emphasised the good, but on balance- its been a good innings and if he is to go, he's earned some redemption in the final weeks. And reminded us all of exactly what he can do on a good day.

I would argue that the majority of the bad has occured in the last couple of years, had some poor enough patches that but most of it was solid at least. The last few weeks were certainly a highlight for O'Gara and Munster. Our backrow has been outstanding, no star names but balance, we've talked about that enough though. Anscombe learned that lesson the hard way!

Fence sitters? Fence painters, I'd say. A long long fence and watching it dry too.

It's an argument that will go on as long as the journey to Saipan itself, it'll create mini-civil wars over pints deep into this century and probably long after O'Gara and many of us are gone. We like holding onto sport drivel like it's world politics.

But for as long as he's around O'Gara won't give a f**k what people think of him And I love that aspect about him. He doesn't kiss ass or utter media-speak fluff.

I'm just messing Thom, ROG was better than good..... he just wasn't as good as he thought he was

Looked like he had a cracker at the weekend, however its not uncommon for an old fella to roll back the years the odd time but consistency is the problem. The odd flash of quality doesn't change the fact he isn't anything like the player he was.

Thomond wrote:I would argue that the majority of the bad has occured in the last couple of years, had some poor enough patches that but most of it was solid at least. The last few weeks were certainly a highlight for O'Gara and Munster. Our backrow has been outstanding, no star names but balance, we've talked about that enough though. Anscombe learned that lesson the hard way!

Robbie Diack. Sometimes it's the unheralded, unsung players who make all the difference. We needed him- see it looks like they'll start with him at 8 and Henderson at 6 next up. Henderson and Williams too similar.

Anyway, there's other threads for that.

If you're a professional sportsmen and you're not arrogant you won't last long. He has been average at best for 18 months, but he still had the odd great day particular when needed like the last few weeks.


He wasn't picked Notch and should have been, Williams is useless enough if you can't guarantee go forward ball, Diack is more diverse at least.

rodders wrote:I'm just messing Thom, ROG was better than good..... he just wasn't as good as he thought he was

Hah! Nobodys ever been that good though.

Notch wrote:

rodders wrote:I'm just messing Thom, ROG was better than good..... he just wasn't as good as he thought he was

Hah! Nobodys ever been that good though.

Humphreys was .....

And Ian Keatley, obvs.

Thonand, Notch and Rodders....Larry , Curley and Moe with Groucho Marx (Fly) making the intelligent comments....

Thomond wrote:Ah yes Matt Williams, there is a reason he is writing in the Irish Times and not coaching. There's a difference between taking a cheap shot and stating the facts.

Cheap shot e.g. "ROG is only staying on playing for Munster as he needs the cash"

Facts e.g. "ROG was very inconsistent over 18 months and his good performances were few and far between"


As for Keane I love the guy, given a lot to my family and some issues we've had, you seem to not grasp the fact that you can be overrated and still be very, very good. I don't think Roy Keane was Ireland's greatest ever soccer player yet he is the only one to make the FIFA 100, that's why he is one of those overrated. I'm from Cork, I'm biologically engineered to defend Roy Keane on issues such as Saipan.


As for the joke, I didn't realise that was supposed to be funny, because it wasn't, you do give the odd hilarious moment I give you that.

What you fail to rate in a player like Keane & ROG is their will to win which overcomes all sorts of obstacles like not having the physical/technical ability to be as good as George Best or Dan Carter.

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Seems ROG has turned down Munster with several offers from French clubs in a coaching role (handy that he speaks French). So far its:

Toulon - Skills & kicking coach (Wilko obviously needs a kicking coach!)

Castres - Backs Coach.

Racing Metro - Skills & kicking Poor Johnny!

[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.[/quote]

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

Well its an opinion that doesn't rate the will to win (i.e., he probably thinks George Best deserves to be in the Top 100 footballers instead of Keane - he just doesn't rate the mental part of Keane's game. Similar story with ROG.

Sin é wrote:Racing Metro - Skills & kicking Poor Johnny!

Could be epic!

Sin é wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

Well its an opinion that doesn't rate the will to win (i.e., he probably thinks George Best deserves to be in the Top 100 footballers instead of Keane - he just doesn't rate the mental part of Keane's game. Similar story with ROG.

Woud you seriously have Keane above Best? Talent like that is the reason we love watching sport. I sense a fundamental philosophical difference, which is one of the great things about rugby. So many different ways to be a 'great'.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

[/quote]

+1

Considering he lacked a lot of physical attributes his mentality must be roundly applauded both in determination but also in game reading.
I don't think he has been a good player since 2010 or so but I think he was an excellent player between 2005-09

Sin é wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

Well its an opinion that doesn't rate the will to win (i.e., he probably thinks George Best deserves to be in the Top 100 footballers instead of Keane - he just doesn't rate the mental part of Keane's game. Similar story with ROG.

I'd have Keith Gillespie ahead of both

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

+1

Considering he lacked a lot of physical attributes his mentality must be roundly applauded both in determination but also in game reading.
I don't think he has been a good player since 2010 or so but I think he was an excellent player between 2005-09
[/quote]

Problem was he hardly played (and no continuity) after 2009 which meant he was going to lose his sharpness (11 starts in 33 internationals).

rodders wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:[quote="Sin é]...

Thomond, generally, you speak from both sides of your mouth. Some might call some of your contributions as damning with faint praise.

Or, expressing an honest opinion.


At his peak ROG was one of the best 5 flyhalves in the world. He never made #1, but definitely spent a number of years in the top 5. Which isn't bad when your career overlaps with a couple of all-time greats.

Well its an opinion that doesn't rate the will to win (i.e., he probably thinks George Best deserves to be in the Top 100 footballers instead of Keane - he just doesn't rate the mental part of Keane's game. Similar story with ROG.

I'd have Keith Gillespie ahead of both

Surely you'd have Healy, Healy, Healy

Alert! Alert! Rugby men showing too much knowledge of wendyball!!!!

Stand by for extermination guys.

rodders wrote:Too many fence sitters on here.

ROG is an overrated, Roy Keane wannabe, fruit washing gobshoite.

Best 606 post of the year!! I'm looking like a right idiot in work laughing at this.

Sin, regarding his lack of starts in recent years as an explanation for his lack of international sharpnes.... that because the guy ahead of of him was playing far better. So yes, if we were still in the 05-09 period of having zero number 10 options behind ROG (sorry, Paddy Wallace of course) then he'd probably be sharper, probably. But Ireland would have been weaker for it.

I love ROG, he was & is a legend (ligind) and if I have watched him play his last rugby match, then I feel privilaged (once again) to have gotten to have been in the ground to see it. But His time has come and now gone. he can still muster for the big games, but the big games have been fewer and farther between. Munster need an overhaul throughout 1-15 and ROG is a part of that overhaul.

Is Keatley as good/potentially as good, no. But by August his standard will be better than anythig ROG can actually do, despite his truly amazing Rugby brain being in fine fettle, his body can't deliver over the course of a season anymore. Thems the facts. JJ has the capacity to be an excellent outhalf and if ROG stuck around on a fat salary, the name, the legend and the noughts would have him at least on the bench when a young guy could be learning the trade.

It is a testament to ROG's resilience that despite spending a career being targeted by everyone and being on many a youtube video being steamrolled, he got back up, played on he didnt let the hits get to him and they kept on coming and he kept on standing in the way. That is valour. But this same Munster team has produced several world class backrows, the attrition of the modern game meant they were replaced before time, thus we get your POM, Tommy's and the host of other quality if not amazing guys who have worn 6, 7 or 8 over the past 5 or 6 seasons, But at 10, we've had Warwick, Keatley, TOL (for a game or two) and now JJ play at 10 a comnbined 1/3 of Munster's matches over those 5 or 6 seasons. That is guess work, but I'd be shocked if it were much more. Great having ROG there almost always fit, but fark me, i'd love a sink or swim moment for Keatley or JJ to have happened as with Madigan this season.

Now before people go and point out that Madigan is not some unknown entitiy and nailed his Rabo matches last season, I know and agree, but you only really see how good a player is in the mentality of knockout rugby (and that 20 mins against Italy while losing, he was excellent and physical and 100% commited) Come the start of the season, those two guys knowing that they'll be 10/22 for the whole season will do them wonders. living in ROG's shadow wil be tough and everytime time a kick goes awry the (lazy) comparrisons will be drawn, but they have much more rounded games and are physically faster thus are better equiped to effect a more expansive game plan.

ROG and Murray's poor early season form are what stymied Penney's so called revolution, next year we'll be much more consistant and effective and that balanced backrow, when we have Stander in and POM at 8, will be very very tough to master, for any team.

We need another 12, another backrow to cover injuries, and a 2nd row to replace the potentially rertired DOC and aging POC, but the other positions we have (callow) guys with the talent to perform. Fewer stars but perhaps more cohesive as a result and a great chance of a collective 90%+ performances a dozen times a season.

ROG did not go gentle into that good night. he played his best games in 2 or 3 years. then did the same thing 3 weeks later. To continue would be folly; he proved himself what he was, class. A winner despite not always winning.

ROG.

Has this been confirmed yet? Or might he (ROG) be waiting by the phone in case he is needed in the Americas or Australia?

Not suggesting he "should" be on either of those trips, but injuries tend to phuck up all the plans of mice and men and either Les (Joe) or Warren might need him at some stage.