Martin Johnson reveals his side of the 2003 red carpet controversy story

The former England captain was speaking to Joe Molloy and Brian O'Driscoll at our National Concert Hall Roadshow in association with Heineken Rugby Club #OTBHRC

[@OffTheBall]

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[@arianares5014]

instaBlaster.

[@pepinoyt69]

I I pointed ill.im i don't om

[@pepinoyt69]

mlnnj

[@66dometop]

I think Johnson is one of the most influential players I've ever seen and BOD is one of the greats. Love these old stories, part of rugby folklore. (and I'm Welsh!)

[@louiskatipa9620]

when the english team came to us at the hospital in new zealand back then we were very thankful for your visit thank you for coming to new zealand and showing love to the sick and ill no wonder you guys won the world cup

[@fullstop6078]

@Louis Katipa That makes me so proud to be an English rugby fan. Thank you so so much for that comment - it was beautiful x

[@louiskatipa9620]

my sons name was louis bradley he was 9mths old in the burns unit of middlemore hospital nz year when the english won the world cup

[@louiskatipa9620]

@@fullstop6078 he wants a jersey and a rugby ball from england he still supports england you should have seen him me supporting the all blacks and he was supporting england should have seen his face when you won

[@fullstop6078]

@@louiskatipa9620 I wish Louis a happy 18th birthday - I guess it must be soon! We'll see what happens in France 2023.

[@ianmarsden1130]

Rugby is a game of brutality and respect. On the pitch is not off the pitch.

[@We.dont.snitch.X]

Mate if only we'd been able to get him to play for NZ, dude was an absolute beast. Respect from down this way.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

He would never have even been selected, even at his prime. Just LOOK at the lineup he would have had to beat out. Were you even serious ?. He was supposed to supplant Ian Jones ?. Garry Whetton?. Go grow up.

[@mtl-ss1538]

@@uncletiggermclaren7592 played in 89 for Colin Meads club - Tihoi, OB Marist, then King Country, & Under 21 All Blacks in 1990 against Aust.!!!

[@speak_your_truth.]

​@@uncletiggermclaren7592why are you being a dikk? Unnecessary 🤡

[@simonwilletts7965]

Nice interview johnno wasnt eveyones cup of tea....but as an Englishman i loved the blokes attitude and drive...thats what u need to lift world cups

[@garyodriscoll7988]

Simon Willetts he was respected tho, and really that’s all that matters.

[@seanokane8470]

Just a thug with no manners

[@paramarky]

@@seanokane8470 only wankers like you don't understand talent

[@RRich100]

@@paramarky when did he question or mention talent?

[@kinsaleafcgirlssection1553]

Yeah Martin Johnson is legend, a fantastic sportsman... and I am Irish!

[@helenaville5939]

You're also gullible. He's lying through his teeth.

[@DominicPannell]

@@helenaville5939 Wottevs... I'm English, BOD is probably the most complete rugby player I've ever seen (there was also Wingnut, but he was so much heavier) and despite his many faults Martin Johnson was blimmin' effective and he led England to win the World Cup. Great interview.

[@66dometop]

I agree and I'm Welsh :)

[@adrienneredmond7552]

Johnno comes across really well

[@Macron87]

Helenaville What a nasty person you are

[@bignose140]

Hated him that day! Pure gent though and rugby legend! Looking forward to the seeing the rest

[@brianburke886]

Johnson was an awesome player in his day. Born leader

[@Cpchurch87]

I'm Irish and have nothing but the utmost respect for him. A huge leader and a true great of the game.

[@tucker737800]

One of the best days of Rugby was during the 6 nations when three teams had to beat their opponents by a large margin as no one could get the grand slam! Wales had to beat Italy, Ireland then had to beat Scotland and finally England had to beat France. All three tams went out on the attack and won each game by a huge margin but Ireland won the tournament by a points margin and I think it was BODs last match! What a day as an Englishman in an Irish pub! I loved that day. The atmosphere was unreal! Pity England didn’t win but I was equally delighted for Ireland and especially the legend BOD!

[@AlphaNevada123]

No that super Saturday was 2015 and o’driscoll retired from all rugby in 2014

[@dougclark9921]

2 amazing players. I played as centre and my 4 boys play too. When ever I want them to see what a great centre looks like I point them to Jerry Guscott or BOD.

[@francisplatt93]

What a great player, what a captain, what a fearless opponent ,

[@christopherdempsey9864]

What a unt

[@aidankearney493]

At the match, incredibly tense few minutes, we were well up for it but England and Martin would not give an inch of grass and boy did they play out of their skin for their captain.

[@robw7676]

Two truly great Lions players. BOD was unlucky to play in an era when Ireland weren't really a massive threat in world terms, if he was playing now imagine how strong Ireland would look? I hope a Northern Hemisphere team win the 2019 world cup, if it can't be England, I'll be happy if it's any other NH team.

[@davejones8811]

I'm a proud English man but I think O'Driscoll is the greatest northern hemisphere player I've ever seen.

[@philipmccarthy6175]

Ireland won a Grand slam in '09 and a couple of triple crowns prior to the Grand slam. You're damning them with faint praise.

[@sibrier6229]

2019. Weve just beaten New Zealand in the Semis. We play South Africa in the World Cup Final in 5 days time. I hope we win... but who knows

[@offaloffadangoo]

Thumbs down for hearing loss at the end of this video!!!!

[@jeremymerrifield7244]

Bit of talent on that settee. 2 true greats , bit of a shame some Irish here just want to insult Jonno. You can see BODs respect for Jonno and I am sure it is mutual

[@Finderskeepers.]

He insulted the Irish 1st and if it was done to the Queen , I believe the English would be far less forgiving.

[@DeeSee77]

John Garvey Talk about victimising yourself or painting yourself into a situation! And please do tell us how being English automatically defines crown subservience and loyalism; the majority of major English working class cities, ie Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London are partly built on Irish heritage.

[@Finderskeepers.]

Dominic Charters - Are you aware of what the incident was ? Its about respecting each others head of state who for England is the Queen. It has nothing to do with being pro or anti royalism as much as you might like to twist it.

[@DeeSee77]

John Garvey They didn’t do it to insult anyone though did they, he’s just said he didn’t know why they were int the wrong place then was too far down the road of moving to move, rather than it being predetermined. Stop making it about yourself and stop presuming everything and every gesture is a undermining Ireland.

[@Finderskeepers.]

So if I run you over its all ok because I didn't intend too ?And again your trying to bring in another issues !!!!

[@johnpaultobin6925]

BOD summed him up perfectly with the fruit salad analogy.

[@johndwyer1999]

Really liked Martin Johnson.said it as it was..proved it that year winning the world cup..I'm from ireland

[@justindavitt6560]

One of the best vulkan rugby players

[@MossySphynxx]

I am Johnson and even I respect Irish. What a player.

[@68iansutton]

Say what you want about that incident back in ‘03 but it will go down as one of the 6 nations greatest moments. Was it morally wrong? Maybe. Was in entertaining? Absolutely! O’Driscoll even said after the game that he had a respect for jonno because of this incident. Just look at the pure respect between these two legends having a laugh and chat about their careers. It’s moments like this that make the 6 Nations the best tournament in the world!

[@davewolfy2906]

"6 Nations the best tournament in the world".

[@richcastle6796]

Both brilliant blokes!!!!

[@Simon-jj2pu]

My missus use to play in the same hockey team as him, tenuous I know but he won a World Cup.

[@gaelicd8328]

Well covered Martin and a good story ta boot...i believe you now...

[@mikeyk212]

At the time I was annoyed with Johnson but now I like him and an interesting pundit as well . My view on McAllese has changed has well. Does me head in now.

[@ThomasTheWankEngine1]

Well played all... Johnson and O'Driscoll both!

[@scott7008]

BOD, full respect. great video channel as well. keep it coming, its real rugby chat, and great. for the rugby players it hits the buttons, the humility, the intensity of the moment, the fear that courses in your veins when you run out for the big moment, that feeling of smallness in the big occassion, and the knowledge that if you let the team down, you really let yourself down and thats a real bad space to be in, never let your team down. when the spotlight is on you, there is no place to hide.

[@patrickcormack7637]

Great to hear What Martin has to say What had happen

[@troubadour4079]

I'm Irish and MJ is a legend if you had him as your captain you would smash anything for him..they had and have a winning mentality . Look at him amd BOD there ......man and a boy

[@hanoitripper1809]

Where the full interview

[@michaeldennis1569]

Both great Lion servants as well

[@Democracy_Manifest]

He was right to stay put. Moving would have undermined his captaincy. From an Irishman

[@kd2239]

Despite being a life long irish rugby fan, a republican, and very much anti colonial britain, i have to say, i understand 100% where Martin Johnson was coming from and as a leader and as a "hard man" he made the right decision. As crazy as that sounds. Not sure if that makes any sense? His initial reaction to the anorak who told him to move was probably a bit spicy and knee jerk but then when Neil Back said "can't move now" you know from that point on there was no going back. Putting nationality aside, as a rugby fan i absolutely love that, its one of the great rugby stories. Who wouldn't have had Johnson in their side? Absolutely legend. Love it.

[@MrStoneyburke]

Johnson is telling lies.

[@kd2239]

@@MrStoneyburke - Yes i suspect so!! I think we all know the brits have a level of arrogance and feeling up superiority under their veneer of civility. I dont particularly mind him "lying" about the real details now to be honest though. I would expect a level of arrogance and contempt from rugby players for their opposition before a big game. I wouldnt expect him now to be confessing his true thoughts. All thoughts are permitted to be kept private and some are best kept so! At least he is not publicly contemptuous of the irish now!

[@aljenx829]

Two GREATS of World Rugby

[@motomoto8383]

Johnson literally completed rugby, won everything there was to win. Bod is the greatest centre of all time

[@johnoneill4483]

true on both counts

[@darrenroche9225]

A great player Johnson , he even got capped by New Zealand u 20s

[@waynegordon4975]

He did indeed. I remember seeing a picture of him in a rugby magazine sporting an all blacks jersey when he won the cap. I bet the New Zealanders wish they had held onto him to play his career with the mighty All Blacks he would of been influential to them.

[@bull010163]

Every player who played with Johson has him in their dream team, AND as Captain. Club. Country, or Lions.

[@paddypenman2682]

Bloody English, they took our potatoes and then they took our red carpet lol

[@ianmarsden1130]

I'm sorry for our forefathers mate. Tiocfaidh ár gcuid ama. I never met an Irishman I din't like.

[@Stand663]

What potatoes. ? You used them all up to make potcheen (moonshine). Got drunk and didn’t pay your rent. LandLord slung yous out, and yous bumped a ride to America.

[@peterfeltham5612]

Brilliant stuff,wonderful stories.How the Irish do it with such a small population god only knows.

[@alexfelton7870]

So even great men get nervous, i never knew that!!

[@richardneville9872]

Neil Back "Can't move now" 🤣🤣 Absolutely brilliant

[@johnoneill4483]

the greatest union captain of all time

[@martinconnor9840]

I was livid watching this at the time (Scotsman married to an Irish woman) and wanted to jump through the TV and smash him, with 5 mates to help me, but on hearing this and possibly being a bit more wordly wise (or not) I'd have done exactly the same. Johnson, along with Dean Richards, were the two players who made me groan when I saw their names on the opposition team sheet back in those days.

[@TonyAvocado]

"With five mates to help me"!!

[@martinconnor9840]

@@TonyAvocado okay, 6.

[@donallally4892]

He just wanted to win no matter what, and who got in the way, and what the rules were. Now to the rules and procedures on the right and the left, it was an IRFU official who was hopeless, and dually Ireland lost, a game we shouldve won

[@falkhammermuller9342]

8:57 ... RIP my ears ....

[@yoe91]

The England players always have the funniest stories for some reason, I think it's the english art of telling stories, it's cultural.

[@John-ro1iv]

The English art of telling stories?? Not really. Culture and England are not normally heard in the same sentence.

[@onetwo6064]

John what are you on about? Dickens, Shakespeare, Oscar Wild, George Orwell the list goes on. England has a culture which mimicked by the world over. Culture, England is full of it.

[@John-ro1iv]

Typical brit. Regularly claiming famous/successful people as their own. ie Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde- the Dubliner. George Orwell- born in India, not England. You also forgot to mention the renowned English Cultural art of football hooliganism 😂

[@blinkreunite]

One Two Last time i checked Oscar Wilde was Irish

[@richieskingley3173]

You just sound like a bigot..sad little man.

[@sparkyhughes131]

He completely disrespected our president and country, can you imagine what would happen if similar happened in Twickenham

[@ianmarsden1130]

Ahh grow up. If you don't understand this you never played.

[@Niko_Bellic4]

Aye grow up. If any Irish team did that in Twickenham, they'd go down as legends and would never have to buy a drink again. The Irish team should have either stood in front or started a fight to move them. But no, they shat their pants.

[@Mr___X]

Don't have to imagine.

[@loudandclear2518]

Iron Mike Tyson once said in an interview " I always wanted to be a 6'3" heavy weight fighter ". I mean, can you imagine mike tyson at 6'3" instead of 5'10", and 250 lbs?

[@sparkyhughes131]

And he is basically insinuating it was a backward setup in lansdowne rd double insult

[@shane-irish]

Good man

[@davidflavin]

I was waiting for BODs version.. 🤷

[@ianmarsden1130]

That would have been very interesting.

[@ianbetts4435]

Yes Martin we get it, a big game

[@narrativequestion]

my friend served martin johnson at a media event bar. he said johnson was arrogant and rude with zero manners.

[@dingleberryridesagain3606]

The red carpet in incident showed all the manners of a poorly house trained Oranutang

[@MrStoneyburke]

If an Irish player had done the very same insult to a member of the English Royal family all Hell would have broken loose.

[@ashleymoore9063]

The man who started the slide of English rugby. Great player terrible manager

[@pauleire]

The biggest failure of BOD's captaincy. POC wouldn't have stood for it, and we wouldn't have been beaten as easily.

[@gezzarandom]

Anyone who played England that year was going to get smashed.

[@pauleire]

ephabouyed where did I say ireland could have won? We were beaten before a ball was kicked because of the scumbaggery of that ferengi above.

[@davidlalor1764]

As a IRISHMAN watching the game in South London . That was the best English team in ever seen . They HAMMERED us that day .

[@stephenhodgson3506]

@@pauleire if you go to any major sporting event in the world their are competent officials who organise these things and make sure the competitors go to where they should. Don't blame team captains for following normal protocols where officials are not doing what they are supposed to do. If the official had been where he was supposed to be at the time and had pointed out where the England team should have lined up rather than turn up after and say move then the whole farce could have been avoided in the first place.

[@robicenco1701]

@@davidlalor1764 The first half was close, as I recall. Then in the second half England pulled away. For about 50 minutes it was a very even test match that could have gone either way. Great memories.

[@bombercommand7187]

He is a tuff man,

[@adreyhtwe]

I swear his forehead has gotten better year by year

[@dbuckley100]

Martin Johnson and Paul O Connell are the 2 greatest captains rugby have had.

[@stevenbissett]

Richie McCaw has 2 RWC.

[@dbuckley100]

@@stevenbissett yes, and was a great captain aswell. When looking at the some of the greatest Rugby captains ever it isn't really based on winning WC's though !!

[@stevenbissett]

@@dbuckley100 What is it based on? Winning record?

[@dbuckley100]

@@stevenbissett No, winning record is team stats !! Speaking about captains, their character and how they handled themselves is a different conversation to purely basing it on records. Sergio Parisse was on a mainly loosing Italian side for a lot of years but was a great Captain !!

[@philipmccarthy6175]

@@stevenbissett Yes but in a country where nothing else matters and everyone plays the game there. Imagine Johnson or O'Connell as skipper of the AB's !

[@unclejezza]

‘... that team had been very successful but all anyone ever talked about was the game you lost....’ - Welcome to 100 years of All Black rugby Mr. Johnson. We have lived with that kind of play pressure for over a century. And people wonder why the All Blacks are so hard to beat?

[@sausageseggandchips]

Bit full of yourself aren't you? NZ's basically a 1 or 2 trick pony sports-wise. And you've just had your asses whooped twice in a row in the 5 nations.

[@philipmccarthy6175]

Not any more lol

[@Stand663]

I think Jonno is being modest here. He’s on enemy territory after all. The truth is he’s a professional. He get’s the job done.

[@richardjohnston3359]

Do they call the police 😂👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@TheMintedAero1993]

The president only had to walk on the grass because the Irish team chose to stand on the same side as the English instead of just stand on the other side

[@seandoran2209]

OTB - Volume very very ,very bad..mike ..up...any tickets .

[@davidflynn2344]

I was a steward at the match that Ireland beat England to end their hopes of the grand slam and as England did their lap of honour a gloomy looking Martin Johnson looked at me and I gave him a Nelson “Ha Ha”.

[@thesaint8400]

You're a legend! So funny. Do you do stand up?

[@donnachamcgowan]

He was a.british pig

[@StrangeUrr]

ROG got bit revenge by not taking his hands out of his pockets when he met the Queen! 😂

[@nick260682]

Wow what revenge. He had his hands in his pocket. He’s basically Guy Fawkes.

[@StrangeUrr]

Yeah what revenge indeed, your national press got horrid pissy about it!

[@malehumanperson7901]

@@StrangeUrr He didn't even do that anyway, www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/sporting-legend-ronan-ogara-reveals-11380152

[@connormccarthy8029]

@@StrangeUrr just as a lot of your lot are still pissy about this event to this day.

[@StrangeUrr]

First line of that article...... Rugby Union legend Ronan O'Gara was roundly criticised when he appeared to snub the Queen at a reception in 2009.

[@tomasreily3727]

bod u let us down here with johnson

[@ianhawdon3680]

Johnson tuff as teak

[@kieranomahony6728]

Great player and was nice guy though

[@henrypierce8900]

Oh yes lovely man to meet on a picket line!

[@johncronin2522]

Lost total respect for irish rugby for leaving him get away with that ..cowards the lot of them

[@johnoneill4483]

typical irish organisational abilities in evidence on the day!

[@geraldwalsh6489]

They still disrespected the Irish president

[@adamgrimsley2900]

Its a game of rugby not a Ferrero Roche party

[@joestimpson1635]

Literally the dullest story ever

[@TheDeemac508]

All these things are hyped to death, and he was a great player but I wonder what the reaction would have been had the Irish captain refused to budge when meeting a member of the royal family on the red carpet…we’d never have heard the end of it.

[@vantheman1238]

Well we never hear the end of this so I suppose it’s the same 🤔

[@johndoherty4626]

No excuse Mr Johnson for ignorance

[@75PFG]

The Irish team should have made them move! Anyone remember the GAA football game were one team purposely stood on the wrong side before the parade and all hell broke loose as the team wouldn't stand for it. They went on to win the game after fighting their corner even before the game started.

[@paulroberts7561]

Make Martin Johnson move..? Good luck with that.

[@patcoburn1960]

Imagine the British Gutter Press headlines if Ireland had done that to the english queen.

[@adamgrimsley2900]

Just get a better carpet

[@adamgrimsley2900]

Unfortunately for you the Queen had so much class she wouldn't have batted an eye lid to walk on the grass. Class is what separates her.

[@jintsfan]

Johnson did what O’Gara did when he met The Queen. 😂😂

[@blinkreunite]

Haha what a liar no doubt he stood on that side on purpose

[@Fredders88]

Imagine if the Irish team had done that to the UK head of state - the Queen - at Twickenham there would be an uproar. Real bad show by Johnson, Woodward etc. that day.

[@tomasreily3727]

well thats called english arrogance notting new to us and many .they still think they are a empire ha well they are sick now that irelanded 2018 6 nations never mind slam we are the winners ireland and england are sick right now even a win for english against ireland wont change fact that they where rubbish this year

[@darrenbellenger1]

Ahhh I love conspiracy theorists, keep that tin foil hat son. As for me, I'm just enoying two great sportsman chatting about the game I love.Sham about people with hatred inside them, or chips on their shoulders.

[@Jackcantsleepful]

Well Her Maj doesn't get to many games, and 03 the PM was Tony Blair, so..........

[@thejudge-kv2jk]

Oh mate give a rest will you? We just like playing rugby same as you. Cut the Empire references and the other stereotypes. Its tiring. You're boring.

[@TheMintedAero1993]

To be fair Woodward had nothing to do with it

[@padraigbiggins9920]

Just imaging if the Irish players disrespected the queen in this way?? It wouldn't happen . It's commonly known as manners and respect

[@robbc430]

Padraig Biggins he wasn’t dealing with the queen though was he?

[@padraigbiggins9920]

@@robbc430 No he wasn't dealing with the queen he was however dealing with the head of state of the country in which he was a guest. Again I call it manners and respect. He was a professional representing his country

[@minimattstream1046]

@@padraigbiggins9920 if Ireland did this to Teresa May we all would cheer lmao

[@stevendenny7260]

@@minimattstream1046 haha, very true.

[@stephenhodgson3506]

It wouldn't have happened at Twickenham because the competent officials would have been on hand to ensure the teams would have lined up in their designated places to start with. Not turned up late like some jobsworth and said move. It's not known as manners and respect but rather tha ability to organise a major sporting event.

[@garrettmcnamara6927]

if collins was aive,, he would have beeen carried out

[@billparrish6113]

Johnson's conduct that day was an embarrassment to England and it's a permanent stain on our record. If I'd been ref, he would have been told to move his team or else forfeit the game. And that's exactly what should have been done.

[@bflex89]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheNWaite]

Always admired the guy as a player and a captain, but man, talk about telling a good story badly. His ball delivery skills from the line out far outstrip his story delivery skills.

[@TheresOnlyOneTank]

What a coward, cant admit he planned it

[@freemindthinkerezrapound5071]

as he said after he looked back on it he said it was cringeworthy , thug behaviour is unacceptable on a sports field before the match has even started and especially to the country's president , I dare say one Of the presidential special forces security had a cross hairs on him

[@timrobinson100]

well done martin [ hope gerry adams comes here to explain i r a bombings to me

[@chinboy66]

Tim Robinson you tried to steal their country.....

[@dougclark9921]

@@chinboy66 erm no.

[@SakuraTempura]

Dover Ben keep telling yourself that

[@grlfcgombeenhunter2897]

Cause yous done ✅ fook all yeah.

[@Stevenbfg]

IRA bombings were a result of 800 years of British brutality, murder and oppression in Ireland. Good enough answer mate?

[@jintsfan]

Leader.

[@nev123123123]

Very funny

[@joekavanagh7171]

Totally ignorant man. Is he suggesting that they would have lost the game if they had moved?

[@ashleymoore9063]

Great captain terrible coach He dragged English rugby into the toilet during his tenure .

[@bevanmcbride9303]

…this story’s like watching paint dry.

[@paulsmith4337]

Brilliant 😂

[@22grena]

Good story Martin but you are lying through your teeth; all four of them.

[@tomkeane2629]

Some breast of a player

[@paramarky]

BOD IS OVER RATED

[@Irish780]

So is your wife

[@damianconroy9276]

It was very disrespect full.First of all to make a lady walk on grass.Second of all to make the president of your opponent walk on grass as you and your team mates cover the carpet. He was never a gentleman in my book never.

[@shortallliam3142]

MJ does come across as a gentleman: he gives "his side of the story" but as a player he had a very, very dirty, nasty side to his play that cast a shadow over his achievements. For example, on one occasion he was cited for kneeing an opponent in the spine around about 2000 (maybe 2001;) a dangerous "tackle" that could have put the guy in a wheelchair for life. He also appeared to stamp on Scottish player John Leslie's throat in 1999, so he was by no means a "gentleman" on the field. Regarding the interview content, if indeed he was asked to sign a shirt before the game that was unreasonable, but even so, I'm not convinced by his explanation for disrespecting the Irish President. He was the team captain, he was aware of protocol, and, as I understand, rugby "gentlemen" are supposed to be "in control of themselves," unlike their football counterparts (who can scream and shout at the referee as much as they want...) Interestingly enough, he does not, even with hindsight, apologize for any misunderstanding or insult cause, and it's too bad that the MC does not even bring that up. I wonder: were the opposite to occur (Irish players forcing Queen Elizabeth to walk on the Twickenham grass) how would the English media react???