With three Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams and a starring role in a British and Irish Lions tour, Wales legend Jamie Roberts built an impressive portfolio of memories before he hung up his boots in 2022.
It just so happened that one of his fondest and one of his most harrowing rugby experiences came against Ireland.
Although it is now 16 years on, his recollections of the 2009 Six Nations remain vivid. Then only 22 and a year into his international career, Roberts came off the bench in Wales’ 17-15 loss to Ireland that sealed a first Irish Grand Slam in 61 years.
“I think the majority of my memories against Ireland have been bad,” Roberts told the Ireland Rugby Social.
“The Slam game in Cardiff, ROG [Ronan O’Gara] hit a drop-goal in minute 77. It was a big moment in my career seeing another team parading the trophy around your stadium.
“It came early in my career. I was only 22 and I remember that and it hurt so much that it actually motivated me quite a bit. I was like, ‘I never, ever want to feel that again’ of an opposing team parading the trophy around your stadium.”
Roberts, who retired in 2022, added: “It was a gut-wrenching feeling. Four years later we had that famous win against England to win the trophy and England were going for the Slam.
“There was half the squad that were involved in ’09 and we were like ‘we can’t feel that feeling again’.”
After the pain of 2009, Roberts enjoyed better days against Ireland, like the 2011 World Cup quarter-final win in Wellington and a dramatic 23-21 victory in Dublin the following year that sent Warren Gatland’s side on their way to the Grand Slam.
