Kimmage and Fitzgerald clash on Dubs and doping

DUBLIN, doping and cynicism were all up for discussion on the latest episode of ‘The Left Wing’, as Luke Fitzgerald and Paul Kimmage locked horns on a blockbuster episode of independent.ie’s rugby podcast.

After the duo had a back-andforth on Twitter on Tuesday, Kimmage agreed to chat to the ex-Ireland international and the heated debate didn’t disappoint.

One particularly robust discussion point was when Kimmage brought up Fitzgerald’s stance against project players in Irish rugby, something that the Sunday Independent journalist has also spoken out against in the past.

“This is what I want you to tell me Luke, we both stand up for the same thing, but you do it because you believe it is the right thing and why I do it is because I’m bitter, why am I bitter because I stand up for the same thing?” Kimmage asked Fitzgerald.

Having played for 10 years in the professional game, Fitzgerald was also vehement that he had never seen any doping in rugby.

“All of this work (on doping in cycling) is incredible, you were on the inside,” Fitzgerald said. “You saw it all and you were informed there. Would you say you are informed about what goes on in rugby?”

Kimmage also took Fitzgerald up on a tweet where he referred to the ex-pro cyclist’s use of amphetamines in his career, while Fitzgerald was unhappy with Kimmage characterising Dublin pulling down Mayo players in the All-Ireland final as ‘cheating’.

The duo also tackled the topic of painkiller use in rugby, and whether players are going over the line in the quest to take the field – with Kimmage and Fitzgerald having differing views. Subscribe to The Left Wing on iTunes, Soundcloud and Independent.ie.