At the Irish team announcement press conference on Thursday, Joe Schmidt and Jack McGrath fielded questions from the Irish and New Zealand media in Chicago.
At least one member of the latter group was expecting Ireland captain Rory Best to be there answering questions rather than loosehead prop McGrath.
Despite the player sitting at the table in front of him having quite a bit more hair than Rory Best, and a couple of inches in terms of height, the journalist did not cop that it was McGrath.
The Leinster player (quotes via The42.ie) expertly dealt with the situation.
New Zealand journalist: Rory, your opposite Dane Coles spoke earlier in the week and was very complimentary of the way you play. He said you had an outrageous work-rate and were one of the best hookers in the world. How do you see him?"
Jack McGrath: Emm, I'll tell Rory that when I see him. I'm Jack McGrath, by the way. I'll be going against Owen Franks at the weekend. He is a massively experienced operator, as are all the front row. It's going to be a hugely physical battle and I think it's going to be won and lost at scrum-time.
Again, we've worked really hard on video to see where their strengths are and where to counteract that. We're a strong scrum so we're going to have to maybe have a go at it.
Unable to allow his colleague's mistake go without further highlighting it, another New Zealand journalist had a follow up question.
Second New Zealand journalist: Jack, on a scale of one to 10, how offensive is it being confused with Rory Best?
Jack McGrath: Well he wears a scrum-cap sometimes. I’ve been called worse, let’s just say that. It’s not too bad; I don’t mind that. The calibre of the man, it’s not too bad to be compared to him.
Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
