As a controversialist, Neil Francis makes George Hook and even Joe Brolly look rather tame and faint-hearted.
In his Irish Independent column today, he recalled the time he and his (Leinster?) teammates meted out a sound thrashing to a thief they found scavenging through their items in the dressing room.
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In heartily remembering the incident, he sailed unthinkingly into another twitter storm.
The lads were out training while the thief got to work inside. He had already 'done' half the dressing room when the backs returned early to the dressing room.
The thief received a fearful doing. No pity. No mercy. No remorse. He wouldn't be able to shoot heroin into his veins for a good while after that.
Crucially, the incident took place outside the jurisdiction. On the Last Word this evening, Francis insisted that he didn't 'lay a hand on him' and didn't like what happened. He linked the episode back to the Robbie Henshaw laptop business.
The takeaway from the episode was the team were revitalised after this administration of summary justice. Previously, out of sorts and frustrated, they were rejuvenated after doling out this beating. Beating up a thief is, it transpires, great for team bonding.
Twitter may be misleading as a barometer of public opinion. The recent Seanad election confirmed that to anyone who might have doubted it. Franno went on the Last Word where the texts were all supportive.
But the reaction has been hostile.
Aside from a few commenters, who moaned about wet liberals crying foul over the administering of rough justice, twitter has exploded in outrage at Francis's column.
Jesus Christ @lstwrd, next thing Neil Francis will be championing rent-a-junkie for team bonding exercises. Disgraceful thuggery
— Cllr Réada Cronin (@ReadaCronin) May 19, 2016
Neil Francis: in case you thought @RossOCK was far-fetched
— Gerard Cunningham (@faduda) May 19, 2016
Blood lust, cowardice, class hatred, brutality, cruelty. Everything about Neil Francis' latest op-ed is despicable. pic.twitter.com/zBLwwRyzjb
— Dan Mac Guill (@danmacg) May 19, 2016
Pitiful attempt to row back by Neil Francis on @lstwrd rn, his article gloried in the violence of it, now attempting to justify it.
— Gráinne McGuinness (@GMMcGuinness) May 19, 2016
Former Irish rugby player writes about how beating up a heroin addict was great for team bonding. Yes, really. https://t.co/7K04vcoTNa
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) May 19, 2016
Absolutely crazy column from Neil Francis about how beating the shit out of some unfortunate thief united his team: https://t.co/JTdYs9ARKU
— Una Mullally (@UnaMullally) May 19, 2016
Neil Francis's rugby team bravely beating up a captive heroin addict reminds me why I hated sport in school https://t.co/hOAd5lywDC
— PatrickFreyne (@PatrickFreyne1) May 19, 2016
Neil Francis gives rugby a bad name. I think there's a Bon Jovi song to that effect too? #notallrugbyfans
— Ben Fraser (@benfraser06) May 19, 2016
Not everyone is so condemnatory about Francis and his teammates behaviour.
The usual bunch of do gooders, liberals and bed wetters are absolutely FEWMIN... #neilfrancis https://t.co/kBEGAHZh6u via @Independent_ie
— Ciaran Norrby (@theflycatcher81) May 19, 2016
@theflycatcher81 it's unbelievable.& amount of 'journos' on here giving out is very suspect.They did what ever team in the country would do.
— James Connolly (@jamzer1) May 19, 2016
Also people need to chill about the Neil Francis piece. Shocked things were different in the 80s when that sort of stuff was commonplace
— James M (@bispys) May 19, 2016
As a rugby player, Franno is underrated (he was a Lion, after all), often by those who disagrees with his columns, curiously enough. But this was funny.
@ReadaCronin @lstwrd the only thing that was ever stolen from a Neil Francis team was their lineout!!!
— noel mc inerney (@noelm300) May 19, 2016
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