The Day A Catch Phrase Was Born (on the Bull's big day),

As long as Tommy Bowe has an Irish rugby career, Ryle Nugent will have a job.


It began in last year's Grand Slam decider, in Cardiff.  On that day the Monaghan winger raced through onto a chip from O'Gara and sped away from the Wales defence and Ryle Nugent, RTE's premier rugby commentator, was somewhat excited as Bowe touched down under the posts to score Ireland's second try in a minute.  At the time, Nugent's calling of Bowe's try reminded me of the obligatory Skyward No that finds it's way into so many films in moments of tragedy.  Perhaps Ryle had watched The Godfather III on the eve of the game, but whatever the reason it was a memorable commentary befitting the occasion.


Roll on one year and Ireland, on the back of a heavy defeat to France, found themselves on a sodden Twickenham, in a tight and brutal test match, trailing by three points in the seventy-third minute. Quick ball off the top of a line-out on the English twenty-two saw Bowe take a great line to receive a beautifully timed pass from O'Leary to win the game for Ireland with just minutes to play.  Cue Skyward Bowe.


Bowe had also scored Ireland's first try of the match in the fourth minute, but Ryle is a professional and knows the dangers of peaking too early in a game.  Ryle reserves the Skyward Bowe for only the most important of games.  England at Twickenham always falls into that category.


More than that, I would assert that this is the greatest victory in Irish rugby.  Not just the courageousness of performance, not just Twickenham or England or the response to O'Driscoll's departure (to a head injury) but that this victory, after 15 years of professionalism, reminds us that all we ever loved about Irish rugby is indelible.  The accusation of hyperbole is an attack on sport itself.  Gladiatorial drama and life and death for 80 minutes are intractable characteristics. Or to quote George Hook on RTE on Saturday, rugby was thought up in 'Victorian times' as a sort of 'anti-soccer' and embodied 'purity of effort,' he expounded: 'Irish rugby is played by men North and South of this boarder, it crosses the political, class, and religious divides and I'm bloody proud, bloody proud to be watching this match today'.


As an Ulster man perhaps there is no one in the team who embodies this spirit more than Tommy BowwWWE!!!