It's been quite a weekend for St Mary's College captain, Victor Costello. On Friday he won a Ford Ka in the club's centenary draw and the following day led his side to a 21-9 victory over Shannon at Templeville Road, scoring one of St Mary's three tries. If that wasn't enough he was approached by Planet Rugby to join the Trivia Pursuit, hall of fame (see below).
It's hardly surprising that he was a bit overwhelmed by his good fortune. "To be honest, it's brilliant. I can't really believe it. I mean the car, winning the match and scoring a try was just the icing on the cake once I heard that I was going to be doing Trivia Pursuit this weekend." Once we managed to remove his tongue from his cheek, he did confirm that he would be giving the car to his mum, Marie.
Uruguay nightmare
The Ireland team suffered a disastrous start to the FIRA Under-19 championships in Chile on Friday when they suffered a shock defeat to Uruguay, 10-9 - Ian Humphreys, a brother of David kicked three penalties. England, Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia all won easily. Ireland's defeat means that they will drop down the seedings for next year's competition and the best they can hope for is ninth place.
Tiger O'Gara
Ireland, Munster and Cork Constitution outhalf Ronan O'Gara, took a little time out from trying to nurse a bruised hip to spearhead the Esso Golf Ball promotion: Esso are the main sponsors of Cork Constitution. O'Gara was at Lansdowne Road to launch the promotion which offers three Dunlop Double Titanium "Feel & Spin" golf balls and five wooden Tiger Tees for £2.99 with every purchases £10 of motor fuel. The promotion runs until mid-May.
Competition winners
Planet Rugby received a huge response to last week's competition and would like to thank all those who took time to enter. The answer to the question asking entrants to name the last team to beat Munster in the Heineken European Cup was Bath, at the Recreation Ground this season. The five winners, who will each receive double tickets to Friday's game between Munster and the Rest of Ireland at Thomond Park are: Robert Stewart, South Circular Road, Limerick; Tony Liddane, Shannon, Clare; Jonathan Huggard, Blessington Road, Dublin 24; Cian O'Toole, Newport, Tipperary; Frank Richardson, Kilruddery, Bray, Wicklow.
Big man's gesture
Malcolm O'Kelly's bond with his old school, Templeogue College, was further strengthened recently. His well documented SOS to his mother to send him a pair of school rugby socks to wear for the Barbarbians game against South Africa at the Millennium Stadium this season was a nice aside to his second-half appearance from the bench in that match. But last week he went a step further and presented the jersey he wore that day to the school to hang beside one of his Ireland jersey's. Templeogue will be hoping that there is a Lions shirt in the offing.
Trivia pursuit
St MARY'S COLLEGE, Leinster and one time Ireland number eight Victor Costello offers his most private thoughts for public examination as he steps into the spotlight.
1. Favourite line from a movie? "It's dark. We're wearing shades. We're 400 miles from Chicago, have half a tank of petrol and a packet of cigarettes. Let's go." John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd, aka the Blues Brothers from the film of the same name, about to embark on that famous journey.
2. What's your nickname? "Ned. It goes back a long way and was given to me by a friend on the Blackrock SCT team at school, Stephen Butler. He noticed that I was developing a bit of a belly - it's long since gone - and gave me the name, Ned, after the rhyming slang, Ned Kelly."
3. What is the most recent book that you have read? "The one that I am reading at the moment is Life in the Fast Lane, a biography of Formula One motor racing driver Eddie Irvine by James Nottage. I read only biographies really. I love Formula One and I love cars. It's an interesting enough book although Irvine does not come out of it particularly well. The car I would like to drive most? A Porsche 911 turbo."
4. Two things/people that you would bring to a Desert Island? "My sister, Suzanne and her sense of reality. She would be the person I would most confide in and she's always right."
5. Meat and two vegetables or Lemon Sole with a garlic jus? "I suppose it would have to be, meat and two vegetables. My favourite food would be Spaghetti Carbonara. I would have been reasonably conservative in my tastes until recently. My girlfriend, Tara, has brought me round to the foods of the world, a considerable change from boarding school in Blackrock."
6. Favourite other sport outside of rugby? "In terms of participating it would have to be the shot putt. I was good at it - he represented Ireland in the Barcelona Olympics - and I like being good at things. In a watching brief, it would have to be Formula One. I have gone to Mondello Park to watch Barry Whelan compete in Porsche races. I don't need lessons but Denis (Hickie) might need a few lessons in driving."
Each week the rugby writers of The Irish Times will select a team of the week and this will run for the 15 weekends of AIB League Division One rugby. At the end of the season, an Irish Times/AIB Team of the season will be announced and there will be a lunch and awards ceremony to honour the best players in their respective positions that constitutes the team of the season.
