“You win and you lose and if you don’t know how to lose, you don’t know how to live.’’
Long before he began making millions by the hundred running the Heinz ketchup empire from Pittsburgh, before Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton began beating a presidential path to his Irish mansion, O’Reilly knew what it was like to be humiliated by defeat.
That it took place at a packed Twickenham made the humiliation infinitely greater. On February 11, 1956, when O’Reilly was still in his teens but all the rage after his exploits for the Lions in South Africa the previous summer, England hammered Ireland 20-0, a veritable rout by the low scores of the time.
One third of the Irish XV were dropped never to return, among them the captain, Jim Ritchie of London Irish. On top of the missed tackles, O’Reilly missed something else that day, a meeting which might have shot him to stardom on a universal scale as a movie star.
In Hollywood, plans were being finalised for a blockbuster which would break all box-office records for any film since Gone With The Wind.
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England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
