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Published 11:21 1 May 2018 BST
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Downey, who played two seasons at Munster with O'Callaghan, said:
"What a man to have in the dressing room, but what a professional. I know people talking about guys that were pros and that led from the front but Donncha was this ultra professional and that is what got him so far. "You look at how much dedication he put into it. Like, he was doing yoga and Pilates way before it was fashionable and it worked. Just look how much it extended his career and he was so good. But every day he was in. If we had a day off, he'd be in and he'd be always pushing standards. Driving standards; pushing standards on."What many people recall, when asked about O'Callaghan, are his lighter moments - Letting ducks into a meeting of the Munster team management, his fake tan jokes on The Late Late Show or going up for a lineout with just a pair of red underpants on... https://youtu.be/xC4K47UfO5g Looking at O'Callaghan's career as a series of light-hearted moments is selling him sort, according to Downey.
"Once he was across that white line for training, he was totally focused and completely serious. "Obviously, everyone sees he has this jokey personality and when you see him, he's hilarious. But behind that he is so driven and his standards are so high - in training and for himself. In training, he was so, so dedicated to everything that he did."Ferris added to Downey's comments by calling the former Munster, Ireland Lions second row a fantastic rugby player and a tremendous servant to Munster and Ireland. "I thought he was going to be the first rugby player to keep going until he was 50 years of age!" he joked. "He just keeps trucking."
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