Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara were the two finest Irish backs of their generation but had a very different approach on the pitch.
O'Driscoll, arguably the greatest ever to wear an Ireland shirt, let his rugby do the talking however O'Gara, who kicking game and clutch play from the tee were up there with anyone, was more of a spiky character on the pitch.
Having transitioned into a decorated coach since his playing days, O'Gara has presented as a passionate and ruthless figure in driving La Rochelle to unprecedented success.
A popular pundit too, the 2009 Grand Slam and two-time Heinken Cup winner is as articulate as they come when it comes to dissecting the sport.
That said, he is said to have had a penchant for restoring to more blunt communication when trying to get the better of his rivals during his playing days.
Brian O'Driscoll recalls savage Ronan O'Gara insult
Speaking to Welsh legend Dan Biggar on the Bigs and BOD podcast, O'Driscoll recounted how O'Gara would at times resort to savage insults when coming up against his opposite numbers.
He famously had tension with fellow Ireland out-half Johnny Sexton, the Leinster tyro getting in O'Gara's face during Leinster's 2009 Heineken Cup win vs Munster in Croke Park.
Sexton had explained that his reaction was a result of O'Gara having a go at him when the provinces met earlier that year, something O'Driscoll noted that it wasn't out of character for the Cork native.
O'Driscoll revealed that O'Gara had put fear into Welsh out-half James Hook ahead of the 2009 Lions Tour in which they were to be teammates, having dished out some savage abuse when Ireland met Wales that year.
That (Sexton incident) is not the first time I heard ROG sledging someone," O'Driscoll recalled.
"I remember Hooky (James Hook) being worried about going on the 2009 Lions Tour - I think he might have been a late call-up.
"He was like 'I don't know if ROG thinks I am any good because in the Wales game earlier this year he said I am the worst international he has ever seen'.
"That was so very ROG. I genuinely don't think he realises the things that have been said over the course of the years"
Savage stuff indeed.
The moment is said to have occured during Ireland's famous win in Cardiff in which O'Gara's late drop goal secured the Six Nations Grand Slam.
In truth, the finest moment of his Test career was soon followed by the lowest on that subsequent Lions tour, when his penalty concession allowed Morne Steyn to kick South Africa to the series win.
