Dan Biggar and Ronan O'Gara agree on next move after Sky Sports success
Whilst Andy Farrell's squad prepares for this weekend's final Test aiming to clinch an historic 3-0 series victory, the former Wales fly-half and Ireland icon have become a triumph in their own right after joining forces for Sky Sports commentary duties during the tour.
Their natural on-screen rapport and expert analysis has won over audiences, especially when their discussions have escalated into live disagreements, something that has occurred multiple times.
During the tour's early stages, they clashed over whether Farrell's son Owen deserved his place in the Lions squad, creating compelling television with Biggar opposing the selection whilst O'Gara defended it, reports Wales Online.
Former England back Andy Goode even dubbed them "an old married couple" following one particular spat during commentary for the tourists' victory against the Brumbies earlier this month. With a combined 240 caps for Ireland and Wales between them, O'Gara and Biggar possess a treasure trove of experience and knowledge to tap into.
The former - who currently serves as head coach of La Rochelle - brings his tactical expertise from a coaching perspective, whilst the latter delivers a player's viewpoint having recently retired at the season's end.
This partnership has proven remarkably successful and has left supporters clamouring for more. It now seems they may get their wish, as the duo have disclosed plans to collaborate again in the coming months.
Taking inspiration from Monday Night Football's format, Biggar and O'Gara are eager to delve deep into the intricate tactical elements of today's game, delivering "something for the real rugby nerds".
Whilst nothing has been finalised yet, the former Ospreys, Northampton Saints and Toulon stalwart Biggar confirmed he is "sure we'll do some bits and pieces" after the current tour concludes in Sydney this weekend.
Speaking to The i, the 35 year old explained: "We probably don't get enough time in this capacity to expand on a point.
"We'd love to be able to do something for the real rugby nerds. Why is he kicking here? Or, if they play this way, if they play that way, what does it mean for the defence, for the attack, etc?
"We've looked at Monday Night Football as a great example – it gives you a big, long build-up to talk and review the games on the weekend," the Welshman added, acknowledging the success of his partnership with O'Gara.
"We've realised that we have struck something up quite nicely on tour in the last four or five weeks. I'm sure we'll do some bits and pieces, going forward. And the price has gone up after the last few weeks."
On why their unlikely double act has proved to be such a standout success, Biggar offered: "A lot of other channels just go player, player, player. And they may have different opinions, but it's all coming from a player's point of view."
O'Gara added: "Why it works – and it's an immense credit to Dan – is even at this stage of his burgeoning commentary career, he puts a big emphasis on preparation. I've taken it as bonus territory, where my bread-and-butter and the only thing I'm interested in is coaching.
"But I love talking rugby and I looked upon this as an opportunity to chat with Dan off camera, chat with all the NRL coaches you can get your hands on, chat with people associated with the Lions, chat with good rugby people so you grow your rugby knowledge."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
12 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc takes surprise pole in Hungary
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took a surprise pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix – as team-mate Lewis Hamilton could manage only 12th. Championship leader Oscar Piastri and title rival Lando Norris had been expected to fight for pole but the McLaren men were left to settle for second and third respectively. Leclerc saw off Piastri by just 0.026 seconds with Norris only 0.015 sec behind the Australian. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes. McLaren had dominated all weekend at the Hungaroring with Norris fastest in both sessions on Friday, and Piastri – who leads his team-mate by 16 points in the world championship – quickest in the concluding running prior to qualifying. But Leclerc pulled a mighty lap out of the bag to secure both his and Ferrari's first pole of the season. The Monegasque said: "Today, I don't understand anything in Formula One. Honestly, the whole qualifying was extremely difficult. When I say extremely difficult, it's not exaggerating. "It was difficult for us to get to Q2, it was difficult for us to get to Q3. In Q3, the conditions changed a little bit. Everything became a lot trickier, and I knew I just had to do a clean lap to target third. "At the end of the day, it's pole position. I definitely did not expect that. Honestly, I have no words. It's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had. It's the most unexpected, for sure." In the other scarlet car, Hamilton has a record eight wins and nine pole positions in Hungary. However, a week after he qualified only 16th at Spa-Francorchamps, he suffered another setback when he was knocked out of Q2. Hamilton has now been outqualified by Leclerc at 10 of the 14 rounds so far. "Every time, every time," said the British driver after he was informed of his early exit. Hamilton emerged from his cockpit and walked towards the Ferrari motorhome holding his gloves in front of his visor to obstruct the full glare of the waiting TV cameras. Hamilton's lowly grid slot looks set to extend his run without a podium finish to 14 races. Until this season he had never gone more than 10 races into a campaign without finishing in the top three. Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes, the teenager Kimi Antonelli, has only scored once in his last seven appearances and he too failed to make it out of Q2, qualifying 15th. Aston Martin have been woefully out of sorts this year and are eighth in the constructors' standings. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll failed to make it out of Q1 at the previous round. However, Alonso – who turned 44 earlier this week – and Stroll progressed to the final phase on Saturday, and will start fifth and sixth respectively. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen qualified eighth for Red Bull. Alex Albon has enjoyed a strong season – he finished sixth last weekend – but he will line up from the back of the pack here after qualifying 20th and last.
Irish Examiner
12 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Andy Farrell: It might take one or two beers before Lions players understand their achievement
Andy Farrell told his disappointed British & Irish Lions they will soon understand the scale of their achievement in winning the series over Australia, despite missing out on a 3-0 clean sweep on Saturday. The Lions lost the third and final Test to a Wallabies side that led in four of the six halves of this three-game set, going down 22-12 in the midst of a deluge at Accor Stadium and a 37-minute delay for lightning on a stormy night in the Sydney suburbs. Yet the tourists became only the third Lions side to win a series in the professional era, following successful victories over South Africa in 1997 and the 2013 Australians. It had been a below-par performance from a side that had revelled in their dramatic second Test win seven days earlier at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as Joe Schmidt's home team salvaged some pride to make it 2-1 thanks to tries from Dylan Pietsch, Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott. Read More Lions player ratings v Australia: Hugo Keenan and Tom Curry the best from a disappointing third Test They had led throughout with the Lions responding at 15-0 down on 62 minutes through Jac Morgan and at the death when Will Stuart crashed over, their tries coming either side of a 10-minute sin-binning for replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher was yellow carded. 'There is going to frustration there,' Farrell said. 'We said all along we wanted to win every game but the best team won on the night today. 'I have just said to the lads on reflection it might take one, it might take two beers but they will be unbelievably proud of what they achieved throughout this tour. "We all know how hard it is to be successful on a Lions tour against a good side like Australia, and they are a good side, they proved that over the series so on reflection, when we get a bit of time to ourselves, tonight and tomorrow we will be unbelievably proud of what we have achieved.' Farrell added: 'The legacy for us is in that changing room, the togetherness, not just of the players but the whole group has been an absolute delight to work with. "We have played some outstanding rugby over the last six to eight weeks and that has accumulated into a performance last week that was an unbelievably special moment for all of us and it will stay with us forever.' Australia head coach Joe Schmidt, left, and British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell before the third test match between Australia and the British & Irish Lions at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile There was an individual honour for Munster and Ireland lock/flanker Tadhg Beirne, who finished the game as Lions captain and was named the player of the series. Yet he preferred to concentrate on the collective's success. 'On a personal level it is a massive honour but that aside it is more about the series win for me, the journey from day one linking up with these boys and getting to enjoy their company for eight weeks,' Beirne said. 'It is a bittersweet moment because it is a class moment we have won the series but we lost tonight which is a bit crap for us. But as Faz says, we will get over that because we have won the series. 'It is the last time we will be in that changing room as a group and that is a bitter part because we won't get that moment again. It has been such an incredible journey, we have loved every single moment of it. 'We have said we will be having a reunion here in 12 years time. We are going to start a kitty and make sure we are all back here in 12 years to celebrate this series win.' Farrell, who was Lions defence coach under Warren Gatland for the 2013 series win and the drawn series against the All Blacks in 2017, has now emulated both his predecessor and 1997 head coach Ian McGeechan as a series-winning boss of the tourists. Asked ahead of the third Test whether he would like to lead the Lions on their return to New Zealand in four years, he had said he more urgent business to think about but on Saturday gave a more considered answer to the same question, despite some interruptions from Beirne. 'Everyone knows what I think about this concept and…' Farrel began before Beirne chipped in with: 'I'll be there.' Farrell responded: 'You'll be there, will you? At 37? You're joking. I'm retiring you next year. 'I suppose that says it all. I love everything that the Lions is about and I've thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the last eight weeks. 'There's always ups and there's always downs but the inner circle is a special place to be,' adding: 'Read into that what you want but I suppose four years, there's a long time between drinks isn't there?'
The Irish Sun
12 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Tyson Fury, 36, claims he will ‘NEVER' return to boxing just weeks after announcing comeback and hints at new career
TYSON FURY has claimed he will NEVER return to boxing - just weeks after announcing plans for a comeback. Fury retired in January - for the fourth time in his career - a month after he was beaten again by Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch. Advertisement 3 Tyson Fury has claimed he will never return to boxing Credit: sky sports Then in July, the unpredictable Gypsy King told a crowd of his fans at an event in BoxPark Wembley But Fury - who suffers from bipolar - appears to have already KO'd that idea in what is his latest retirement U-turn. Asked when he will fight again, he told Fury was at the Doncaster Racecourse where his Advertisement READ MORE IN boxing If Fury is truly retired, he opened the door to potentially focusing on a career as a horse race owner. He said: "Maybe. Who knows?" It comes as a blow to fans who wanted to see Fury, 36, fight Anthony Joshua, 35, next year. Advertisement Most read in Sport Live Blog 3 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Especially after Fury said in July: "I do miss it, every single day I wake up in the morning and miss it. "I've been away seven months, missed it everyday. I'm open to offers at the moment. Advertisement 'Started from the bottom' - Proud Tyson Fury watches race horse Big Gypsy King at Doncaster from owners' section "I'm not going to be doing any comebacks this year, that's for sure. I'm busy as you can see I've got Netflix here. "I'm filming At Home With The Furys season two. Come on! And then next year the big GK is going to make a f***ing comeback. "The takeover! I'm gonna be 37 in about three weeks so I'm going to be the oldest swinger with all these young boys coming up it's going to be difficult. "But I believe I can put on some very good nights still." Advertisement 3 Fury retired after two losses to Oleksandr Usyk Credit: REUTERS
