Great and good gather and pay tribute to Ronan O'Gara
“I ring him every Monday to tell him come back,” joked Donncha O’Callaghan at the legendary out-half’s testimonial in Cork last night. “Hopefully down the track... I think ROG is a fella that has a plan in place, but he is Munster to the core. I would love to see it.”
Despite what could be described as a relationship of ups and downs, former Munster and Ireland coach Declan Kidney was equally as unequivocal: “If he is 1% as good as he was a player then every option will be open to him. He was smashing, one of the best.”
The leading lights of not just the sporting but also the political and entertainment worlds gathered in Cork’s City Hall to honour the country’s highest points scorer. For some, it was to pay tribute to a sporting icon — but for most it was to honour a friend.
Fellow Munster legend John Hayes described O’Gara as a “good friend and great to be around”. Doug Howlett found him to be “one of the most loyal and courageous blokes you could meet”.
While critics of his game sometimes described O’Gara’s tackling as a weaker part of an otherwise perfect talent, the New Zealand legend said it was his performance in that area which inspired him.
“I say courageous because when we were playing he was a real target but he was someone that never really stood down and he stood up to everything we threw at him. He was one of the best [out-halfs], his record speaks for that — if not the best kicking game over his era. Relentless in his work ethic.”
For players and officials in rugby, it is the former number 10’s dedication which set him apart.
“He was always the guy out on Wednesday afternoon when guys were going to the cinema. He was always immaculate with his diet and really looked after himself,” said Donncha O’Callaghan.
Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald remembers seeing the determination in the “young slip of a boy playing under-16 and under-18 with PBC”.
“When I came into this job in 1999 my first memories are looking out of the office and seeing this fella non-stop practising his kicking, his drop-offs, his line kicks in Musgrave Park. He is a role model for every young player trying to achieve playing for Ireland, playing for the Lions as regards his application and dedication.”
Fitzgerald said his drive infected his temperament. “He was a cranky little fella at times,” he said. “I think to play [number] 10 at the highest level, where you are in the firing line all the time, you need to have that little bit of crankiness.”
Others also made reference to the straight-talking which made O’Gara a favourite for fans. “He had a razor sharp tongue and you would not want to be at the wrong end of that,” admitted John Hayes.
Nonetheless, this attitude pushed him to the top of the rugby hierarchy. “When you were playing with ROG you did not have to make any tactical calls really because he understood and knew when to change and do something different and when to alter a game,” said his former captain and friend Paul O’Connell.
“That was the big thing about having him as a captain. He was always a captain on every team he played in himself anyway. Invariably he made the right calls.”
A fierce rival for the Irish jersey down through the years also paid tribute. “Both of us wanted to play every week,” said former Ulster and Ireland out-half David Humphreys. “Once Ronan came in in the early 2000s he nailed down the spot and I was always chasing behind him. He has been central to a golden generation for Irish rugby.”
Non-rugby people also recognised that certain X-factor in the Corkman.
“I often looked at him and thought he would have been a great Gaelic player,” said former Cork footballer and manager Billy Morgan. “He was such a good kicker of the ball and his awareness — depending on the occasion he could bring the other backs in his game. The fact he lasted so long, he was brilliant in his last game.”
Horse racing legend Ruby Walsh said: “He was always a pleasure to watch, his confidence and belief in himself is incredible. What he did for Irish rugby was amazing. He was an incredible sportsman and competitor and is a pleasure to know.”
Fresh from his personal pitched battle over his budget announcements, Finance Minister Michael Noonan revealed his admiration for O’Gara.
“If cool wasn’t in the language already, it would have been invented for Ronan O’Gara,” he said. “I certainly remember the Grand Slam drop goal at Cardiff Arms Park, Stringer takes a long time to get the ball back and over it went. That was a great Grand Slam victory. It runs like a tape behind my eyes when I think of O’Gara.”
“Ronan was one of the greates players, determined driven, never took a backward step, but also a good friend and great to be around. He had a razor sharp tongue and you would not want to be at the wrong end of that."
“Without him Munster would not have been what they were."
“If cool wasn’t in the language already, it would have been invented for for Ronan O’Gara.”
“History will show when we look back at what he has achieved both for club and country. He has been a wonderful ambassador for Munster Rugby and Irish Rugby. Both of us wanted to play every week. Once Ronan came in in the early 200s he nailed down the spot and I was always chasing behind him. He has been central to a golden generation for Irish rugby.
“He has been a magnificent sportsman, a great Corkman, we are all very proud of him, same as Roy Keane and I am just delighted to be here. I often looked at him and thought he would have been a great Gaelic player. He was such a good kicker of the ball and his awareness – depending on the occasion he could bring the other backs in his game. The fact he lasted so long, he was brilliant in his last game.
“Ronan O’Gara is a hero in a true sense of the word. We met for lunch some months ago and he told me about all of these people who were contacting him that they wanted to organise this and organise that. He was keen that it would be coordinated. Eventually, I would call it a fairly difficult pass if I could use a rugby expression, I realised he was asking me to chair his testimonial committee and I said yes. The really good thing is, everyone I asked to get involved said yes to the committee. What he has done for Irish rugby, for Munster and for world rugby is phenomenal. To have his evening celebrated like this in his home city is really important. I think Ronan is a perfectionist. People don’t realise the work he puts into everything he does. I think he has gone away to learn his trade and I think it would be great to see him back here. He is starting again at the start, so to speakin coaching. He is giving it all, working unbelievably and I think he will be destined to come back here some day.
“Its exactly what ROG deserves. Its great for the people of Cork to give something back, and not just Cork, its Munster and Ireland as well. There are a lot of people here from all over the country and its just what ROG deserves. He has given so much to the country and Cork especially and obviously the amount of time he spent in the Munster jersey, it’s a privilege for me to say that I have played alongside such a worldclass player. I hope he comes back to Munster, fingers crossed he will.
“Its great to see ROG singled out on his own and to get a bit of the acclaim on his own. There are Man of the Match awards, but our game is a team sport and we win together. His talent led to us winning and his hard work lead to us getting results. That is the kind of thing that stands out for me. He was always the guy out on Wednesday afternoon when guys were going to the cinema. He was always immaculate with his diet and really looked after himself, so its great to see a night about him. Its just a chance for all of us to say thanks. He made us look good. I ring him every Monday to tell him come back! You miss having him around the place, hes the most straight talking fella. Hopefully down the track… I think ROG is a fella that has a plan in place, but he is Munster to the core. I would love to see it.
"He made the lives of so many people so joyous, such a quality player and a true professional. Munster in the modern era had defining character and he was one of them. O’Gara was the person everyone wanted to emulate, coolness under pressure."
“His legacy will last forever. (Coming back) is a distinct possibility. I know long-term its an ambition of his. He is going about it the right way going to France, learning in a different culture. It will serve him well."
“He has had a smashing career. There should be great banter for the night. He has taking up the root of coaching. If he is one percent as good as he was a player then every option will be open to him. He was smashing, one of the best."
“One of the most loyal and courageous blokes you could meet. I had the pleasure of playing against him and alongside him so I saw two different sides. I say courageous because when we were playing he was a real target but he was someone that never really stood down and he stood up to everything we threw at him. One of the best (outhalfs). His record speaks for that, if not the best kicking game over his era. Relentless in his work ethic.
“My memories of ROG go back to seeing a young slip of a boy playing under-16 and under-18 with PBC. When I came into this job in 1999 my first memories are looking out of the office and seeing this fella that non-stop practicing his kicking, his drop-offs, his line kicks in Musgrave Park. He is a role model for every young player trying to achieve playing for Ireland, playing for the Lions as regards his application and dedication. He was a cranky little fella at times and could still be cranky in the modern age. I think to play 10 at the highest level where you are in the firing line all the time, you need to have that little bit of crankiness. The decision to go to Paris epitomises ROG about his bravery. Ultimately we did offer him a contract last year but I was hoping he would make the decision because it was the right decision for him. He is such an ambitious guy and an amazing fella."
“I certainly remember the Grand Slam drop goal at Cardiff Arms Park, Stringer takes a long time to get the ball back and over it went. That was a great Grand Slam victory. It runs like a tape behind my eyes when I think of O’Gara.
“He was always a pleasure to watch, his confidence and belief in himself is incredible. What he did for Irish rugby was amazing. He was an incredible sportsman and competitor and a pleasure to know.”
“He was a fantastic player and I think it is fitting on a night like this that is held for him that we remember him because he was one of the special ones. He was a fantastic player, incredibly mentally strong, brilliant under pressure and a great team player. He gave many years of service to both Ireland and Munster. He is great guy and a good friend. When you were playing with ROG you did not have to make any tactical calls really because he understood and knew when to change and do something different and when to alter a game. That was the big thing about having him as a captain. He was always a captain on every team he played in himself anyway. Invariably he made the right calls. I am sure that is his plan (to coach Munster) going forward and Im sure he will make a great coach in the future. He seems to really be enjoying his time in France at the moment working with Johnny.”
“He is one of the biggest names in world rugby and has been for many years. I can remember playing with him in Cork Con when he was young as an underage player coming out of Pres. He was targeted at an early age as someone who was going to do something special in rugby and he went on to more than fulfil that promise.”
: “Eddie O’Sullivan and I - Ronan was born in San Diego – we tried to persuade him to play for America, a wise decision he didn’t. I think its Cork. Brian O’Driscoll had a big testimonial in London, he will have another one in Ireland, but this is Cork. There is something about Cork and the way we value our own. There are 950 people in there because this is one of the great flyhalfs of all time. Its someone I have watched since I first saw him playing for Con against Leinster. This is a very special player. I just hope the new career, he clearly wants to be a major rugby coach - and I hope it goes well for him.”
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