Donnacha Ryan Showed His Class With Wonderful Gesture To Young Fan Last Night

At 33 years of age Donnacha Ryan is having the season of his life.

The towering lock has had his career tarnished by niggling injuries in recent years, but is finally showing his worth this season for both club and country.

Another mammoth performance last night showed us exactly why he has been heralded as a second coming of Paul O’Connell in the past, with his sheer brute force, raw passion and phenomenal work-rate.

There are very few people that enjoyed spoiling the English party more than Ryan last night, and very few that deserved it more than the Munster second-row.

Following the game, Ryan showed his class with a wonderful gesture as spotted by SportsJoe. 

Following the game, as we waited to chat to CJ Stander in the Aviva Stadium tunnel, Ryan headed out to the team bus in his team suit and a pair of adidas runners. That weight of the world that he had carried all week was gone and that easy smile had returned.

He thanked the staff as he headed for the team bus before stopping as he reached the door. He reached into his team bag and plucked out the match socks he had worn that evening. Turning back, he handed the socks to a surprised, and delighted, teenager that had been working at the game.

As Ryan headed back out, the young lad’s co-worker patted him on the back. A little victory on a night when, for Ireland, losing was not an option.

Absolute top class.