Here's a funny one we didn't expect to see today.
One of the biggest threats to Ireland on Sunday afternoon will be the Argentinian scrum, and one of the main reasons behind that is veteran prop Marcos Ayerza. The loose-head prop who plays his club rugby for Leicester Tigers will be doing his best do break Irish hearts at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but speaking ahead of the game he has revealed that Ireland is a country that is a little closer to his heart than most due to his family history.
It turns out he's part of the O'Connor clan, we just didn't know there was a Buenos Aires chapter.
Horses and horse racing, it's huge in my family, it started from my grandfather. Of course I'm one-sixteenth Irish as well: my great-great grandfather was David O'Connor, who came from Ireland.
There's a big tradition of Irish people in Argentina. Horses are part of that too, and plenty of horses from Coolmore come over to Argentina for the season over there. Our links with Ireland are always very strong. We have similar ways of thinking and doing things.
Playing against Ireland has great pride for my family. My grandmother, she passed away, but she was proud of me playing against Ireland - her grandfather was Irish and she loved the country.
There's a man who knows his family tree.
Lovely stuff altogether, although Ayerza stopped short of declaring whether or not he aligned himself with Barry's tea or Lyons, which we will hopefully learn after Sunday's match.
via RTÉ.
