Ronan O'Gara - Tapa blanda

Ronan O'Gara is quite simply one of the greatest sportsmen Ireland has ever produced. He is a brilliant kicker both from the hand and at penalty goals, a sublime organizer of play from the out-half position, and a cool head in the pressure-cooker of club and international rugby. The list of the Cork man's achievements goes on and on: he is the leading points scorer in Irish rugby history, and one of the top ten in the world; the leading points scorer in the history of the Heineken Cup; and the first ever points and try scorer at the home of Gaelic sports, Croke Park. In his candid, illuminating autobiography, O'Gara tells the story of those many on-field successes, culminating in the glorious year of 2006 when his tactical prowess and will to win first helped guide Ireland to the Triple Crown in the Six Nations championship, then Munster to a memorable Heineken Cup victory over Biarritz at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. O'Gara kicked a perfect five out of five in the 23-19 win as Munster lifted the coveted trophy for the first time, sparking wild celebrations heard all the way back in Limerick and Cork. Yet as in any sporting career, there have been the setbacks as well, most notably Ireland's disappointing performance in the Rugby World Cup in France last year. O'Gara reveals what really went on in a divided dressing-room as a series of flat performances sent the Irish crashing out, while he personally had to deal with a series of front-page allegations about his private life. O Gara has never been shy about the fact that he's fond of a drink and a bet, and he confronts his critics head on in this book. This is the unforgettable story of a rugby player at the top of his game, of a life lived to the full, and of a passionate and proud representative of the people of Cork and Ireland."

Ronan O'Gara was born in 1977 in California and brought up in Cork. He was a star player at Presentation Brothers College, University College Cork and Cork Constitution, and soon became a key member of the Irish national rugby squad. Since making his international debut in 2000, O'Gara has gone on to win more than 80 caps and score more than 800 points for both Ireland in internationals and for Munster in the Heineken Cup both record tallies. He was the leading points scorer in the Six Nations championship in 2005, 2006 and 2007, capturing the Triple Crown with Ireland in three of the last four years, and won the European Cup with Munster in 2006 and again in 2008."