The Hollywood Lion

It was time to take the section of the column across the Irish Sea and so it is Ireland and London Irish openside Kieron Dawson…

It was time to take the section of the column across the Irish Sea and so it is Ireland and London Irish openside Kieron Dawson who enters the spotlight and offers his most private thoughts.

1. Favourite line from a movie? "So you're telling me there's a chance." Jim Carey's character in the movie Dumb and Dumber tries to proposition a beautiful girl and he suggests that while she's not keen he might have a one in a hundred chance to which she replies no, about one in a million. He then utters the aforementioned line.

2. What's your nickname? "The Hollywood Lion. It was given to me by David Humphreys and Conor O'Shea, something to do with having long, shaggy hair and poncing about the pitch. Unknown to me Conor (O'Shea) told the guys on the television cookery programme, Ready Steady Cook, in which we were taking part and they brought it up on air. I went bright red."

3. What is the most recent book that you have read? "Hannibal. I wanted to check out the book before I saw the film. There was so much hype about it, that I wanted to read the book first. I'm hoping to borrow the new book on snooker player Alex Higgins. I saw him perform in an exhibition as a kid and he was pretty sensational."

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4. Two things/people that you would bring to a Desert Island? "The first is a game called Bop-it. It's a child's game but can be translated into a drinking one. It comes in the form of a steering wheel, with five different instructions and things to press, twist and pull at various stages of the wheel. The machine tells you what to do but the instructions get faster and faster. You can guess the rest. The other would be Charlie Dimmock, from the television gardening series because I'm sure she could create a lovely water feature on the island."

5. Meat and two vegetables or Lemon Sole with a garlic jus? "I suppose I would be a fairly adventurous eater and would look to try new things if I was out in a restaurant. Having said that my favourite meal would be a plain one, Gammon steak and Champ with baked beans. I don't like pasta and hate spaghetti bolonaise."

6. Favourite other sport outside of rugby? "In playing terms it would have to be Table Football or Fuzzball as it's known. We have a table here in the house and I enjoy beating my flatmates including Harlequins full back Ryan O'Neill. To watch it would be Golf or female beach volleyball. I'd be a big fan of Darren Clarke and Ernie Els."

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer