12 hours ago
Ronan O'Gara: ‘Chasing a Test job isn't interesting any more'
Ronan O'Gara
is not the reserved type, and previously he certainly hasn't been shy about declaring his interest in being a head coach of an international team, be it
Ireland
, England or France. But after a season in which his La Rochelle side salvaged a top eight finish, the former
Munster
and Ireland outhalf has parked such interests to refocus his energies on helping the club win a first Bouclier de Brennus shield.
While he would 'of course' still like to coach the
British & Irish Lions
one day, O'Gara countered: 'But time is ticking and ticking fast, as we all know. In the last 12 months, I'm at peace with what I'm doing here. I'm very excited about what I'm doing here. I want to try and go after a Bouclier next season.
'That, for me, is the short-, middle- and long-term,' he added, in a marked change from previous declarations of intent, and ahead of next Saturday's French Championship finale between Toulouse and Bordeaux Bègles.
'Chasing a Test job isn't interesting any more. I got distracted and gave energy to that, and it serves no one well. For me, I'll be the best version of myself here. If it goes anywhere else, so be it. If not, I'm very content.'
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O'Gara was speaking in his capacity as pundit for Sky Sports in their upcoming coverage of the Lions tour to Australia, which kicks off at 11am Irish time against Western Force in Perth next Saturday.
'Coaching a high-profile team you have to think long and hard about accepting this kind of work,' he admitted, before reasoning that he will be a better coach from watching so much footage and sharing analysis.
'Then for me you're growing your mind and you're getting better. I think my role isn't to slate people. Never would it come into my head because I don't have to do that thankfully and obviously some people are given the role of bad cop to do these kind of jobs. But I enjoy it and it makes me better at my day job, so that's why I kind of do it, but if it takes too much time then you don't do it.'
A three-time tourist himself, beginning with the 2001 trek to Australia, O'Gara believes that 'everything is pointing to Finn Russell' being the starting Lions outhalf in the first Test, 'because he's at the right age to get the best out of himself with that experience and that desire also to win a Test series, for him personally as well as the team.'
Ronan O'Gara has backed Finn Russell to be the starting Lions outhalf against Australia. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
While O'Gara believes the desire for Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales players to represent the Lions is stronger than ever, the loss to Argentina in Dublin last Friday was 'not ideal'.
'But I think in camp it's a lot easier to deal with than on the outside. Sometimes your perception isn't reality because inside the camp they want to win a Test series and the Test series is a long, long, long way away.
'But, starting this week in Perth, they need to start knocking a few teams over and knocking them over with a bit of authority. So, they give the referees, the opposition and themselves that shot of confidence that they wouldn't have got from the outing in Dublin.'
O'Gara expected the Lions to beat Argentina and was impressed by the Pumas' effectiveness in transition with two long-range tries which highlighted Marcus Smith being out of position at fullback.
'You can see the difference between having, shall we say, an out-and-out established 15 and a Marcus Smith candidate. And that if you're a little bit off with your timing or your placement it transpires into, in one or two occasions, tries at Test level.'
O'Gara also suggested the Wallabies might have more X-factor, albeit he admitted to bias when stating: 'I think the essentially the best rugby player is in green and gold – I don't think he's in red – in Will Skelton.
'I don't think any team in the world has a secondrow like that, because he's a phenomenal player but he's an even better person,' said O'Gara of the La Rochelle player. 'Since last May he's been targeting this series to show the world because all the world's eyes will be on this series and this is something Will has targeted. And when Will targets something he usually doesn't disappoint.
'I think where you wouldn't want to underestimate Australia, is whether it's Rules, League, soccer, golfers, they have phenomenal athletes and you look at [Joseph-Aukuso] Suaalii in midfield. His range of skills are fascinating and a lot of them are athletes and then rugby players.
Leinster's Joe McCarthy in action against Will Skelton of La Rochelle. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
'You think of Pete Samu in Bordeaux who I coached in the Crusaders. They're very, very dangerous when they get the rugby combined with their athleticism. They will pose problems, a lot more problems than people think.'
O'Gara also made light of any on- or off-field clashes between Russell and Johnny Sexton in the past, and the latter being fast-tracked on to the Lions and Ireland coaching tickets.
'It's fairly natural for me. After a long, extensive playing career, these things look after themselves. He probably needed a breather and he took a little bit of time out but he was always closer connected to Irish rugby.
'He's a master brain, that's for certain. Spending time with him, you understand he sees the game really easily and really well.
'There was obviously a hullabaloo when he was named in the coaching squad because people were saying he skipped all those courses to get where he is. Rugby is becoming very much like soccer where it becomes a management team, when you understand and you trust people you work with. As Sexton was Farrell's number 10, O'Gara said, 'it's very normal and a no-brainer for him to come on board.'
While O'Gara believes a Lions tour would have been beneficial for Sam Prendergast, and that 'his form up to a certain point looked very interesting' it subsequently tapered off.
'You do not want to throw a young player to the wolves, and there was potentially a point where his graph had probably dipped, and a Lions tour isn't really a learning ground.'
– Supporters can watch every game of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, including all three Test matches against the Wallabies, exclusively live on Sky Sports and NOW TV.
