#Ronan O’Gara

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#Ronan O’Gara

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>MERCURIAL: La Rochelle’s Simeli Daunivucu. Pic: Morgan Treacy/Inpho</p>

S rugby-columnists

Donal Lenihan: French options for the Six Nations are so bountiful compared to Ireland's

The problem with Munster's high octane intensity is it will only take them so far and can’t be delivered on every outing. At their best, Munster are a match for all comers but not yet at a level where they can compete consistently with top French sides.

SRonan O'Gara: Drawing a line after humiliation against Toulouse and preparing for Leinster

<p>La Rochelle's French scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec scored a brace of tries against Toulon. Pic: XAVIER LEOTY / AFP via Getty Images</p>

rugby

Toulon focus clearly on Munster as they are hammered by Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle

SRonan O’Gara: Worlds apart — my top 25 rugby players in 2025

SRonan O'Gara: Suffering on safari, Munster fans' blind loyalty, me in my box

Northampton Saints v Union Bordeaux-Begles - Investec Champions Cup 2024/2025 Final

S rugby-columnists

Ronan O'Gara: Don't judge until you've walked a mile in my moccasins

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-LA ROCHELLE-CASTRES

S Ronan O’Gara: When decision-making collapses, everything else crumbles with it

A chaotic loss to Castres forces La Rochelle into a blunt assessment of decision-making, scanning and collective responsibility

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-LA ROCHELLE-CASTRES

Former player comes back to haunt Ronan O'Gara as La Rochelle fall to Castres

International call-ups and injuries forced Ronan O’Gara to ring the changes for La Rochelle. They had 15 players unavailable.

Sat, 22 Nov, 2025

Ireland v Australia - Quilter Nations Series 2025

S Ronan O'Gara: Why Ireland’s No 10 dilemma matters ahead of Springboks test and Six Nations

Ireland’s looming showdown with South Africa highlights how unresolved the out-half battle remains, with neither Crowley nor Prendergast fully convincing

Sat, 22 Nov, 2025

Ireland v Japan - Quilter Nations Series 2025

S Ronan O'Gara: They smile at Ireland in that pat-on-the-head sort of way

I come around to asking the same question – are the IRFU digging deep enough on this conundrum? It warrants a serious deep dive into how our World Cup cycles can be better. It hasn’t worked so far.

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Jack Crowley dejected after the match 1/11/2025

S Ronan O'Gara: Jack Crowley still calculating the split second between club and test rugby

In the key moments, you can’t make a break every time. Here we defer to the great Dan Carter and the philosophy of great out-half play – simple things done well. Rinse and repeat. Don’t force it, then the gate opens

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

RUGBYU-FRA-TRAINING

S Ronan O'Gara: Where rivals have options, we have age-old old-age questions

Irish rugby needs new dreams and inspiration. It needs a new version of itself. We’ve done the No 1-ranked thing. We’ve failed dismally and consistently when it matters. Staleness is an unavoidable consequence of sameness

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025

Leinster v Munster - United Rugby Championship

S Ronan O'Gara: Too early to be pumping Jack Crowley's and Munster's tyres

Jack Crowley has reached a phase of his career where he has seen a lot of the world, and not all of it has been mountains and lakes. He’s at that right age now.

Fri, 24 Oct, 2025

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-MONTPELLIER-LA ROCHELLE

Ronan O'Gara questions career choices after 'unacceptable' La Rochelle performance

La Rochelle have now won two and lost two games to start the Top 14 season.

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

Owen Farrell 12/7/2025

S Ronan O'Gara: Are Lions rolling the dice going without Owen Farrell?

Head coaches make big decisions. They call it. When I've wanted a certain player in the 23, and the assistants have said ‘god, No’, I take it on board. ‘I hear ya, but I’m still going with this’

Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell celebrate after the game 2/7/2025

S Ronan O'Gara: Armchair generals - how Gibson-Park and Russell put Lions in box seat

Wherever and whenever it’s been doable this past week or so, I’ve squeezed in chats with interesting rugby folk while south of the equator.

Fri, 11 Jul, 2025

Stade Rochelais v Leinster - Investec Champions Cup Pool 2

Ronan O'Gara: Lions ambition remains but 'chasing a Test job isn't interesting anymore'

O'Gara would love to see France added to the traditional Lions tour rotation.

Wed, 25 Jun, 2025

La Rochelle's head coach Ronan O’Gara with Will Skelton after the match 28/5/2022

Ronan O'Gara: The best player in Lions series won't be in red

Ronan O'Gara will be a pundit on Sky Sports for this summer's Test series between the Lions and Australia. He says the Wallabies 'will pose a lot more problems than people think'.

Tue, 24 Jun, 2025

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-LA ROCHELLE-MONTPELLIER

S Ronan O'Gara: Rugby might be in trouble but Tolu Latu’s made my day

One or two bad apples in an orchard is no big problem. At the start when I took over there was some weeding to be done in the garden and it wasn’t done in one afternoon either. It took time

Fri, 06 Jun, 2025

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-LA ROCHELLE-MONTPELLIER

Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle tighten play-off grip with sharp victory over Montpellier

Against Montpellier, La Rochelle picked up their first try-scoring bonus point since November.

Sun, 18 May, 2025

Jack Crowley 2/4/2025

'I was blown away, just the time he gave me': Jack Crowley thankful for Ronan O'Gara guidance

Crowley said conversations were had about him joining O'Gara at La Rochelle in 2021.

Thu, 03 Apr, 2025

Caelan Doris and Simon Easterby 21/1/2025

S Ronan O'Gara: Don't pass comment on alligator's teeth until you're safely across the riverbank

Six Nations kick-off - can Ireland set the tone? In rugby terms, France are the one side capable of beating the champions in Dublin. The others won’t do that at the moment

Fri, 31 Jan, 2025

Northampton Saints v Munster - Investec Champions Cup Pool 3

S Ronan O'Gara: Munster in La Rochelle will be magic. But it will have to wait

The intrepid have nothing on the Munster supporter who needs to find a way across land and sea to get to a European Cup game.

Thu, 23 Jan, 2025

Rory Scannell and Tom Ahern after the game 18/1/2025

Munster will take on Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle in Champions Cup Round of 16

Leinster will take on Harlequins with Ulster facing a tough task when they take on top seeded side Bordeaux Bègles.

Sun, 19 Jan, 2025

Munster v Northampton - Heineken European Cup Final

S Ronan O'Gara: A powerful Munster throwback, the road not travelled and the ability to say 'No'

If our rugby columnist selected three memories from a stellar career with Munster, the Twickenham aftermath 25 years ago will always be one of them

Fri, 17 Jan, 2025

Leinster v La Rochelle - Investec Champions Cup Quarter-Final

S Ronan O'Gara: Time for a hug? Tough love doesn’t work on everybody

Ronan O'Gara opens up about the challenges of coaching La Rochelle, balancing tough love with rebuilding confidence as his team struggles through a tough patch

Sun, 12 Jan, 2025

Sean Dougall 21/1/2024

S ROG's quiet (right-hand) man: Meet the other ex-Munster star in the trenches with La Rochelle

He's the third leg of La Rochelle's coaching stool, happiest pitchside with the players. Says Seán Dougall: 'We’ve got the players to adapt to what’s in front of us'

Sat, 11 Jan, 2025

Tadhg Beirne leads his team through the team tunnel dejected after the game 13/12/2024

S Ronan O'Gara: Munster's snakes and ladders isn't my game now, but . . .

Massive frustration at the issues and standards and culture that has seen the former European champions tumble backwards so far into the pack that they are no longer distinguishable, even in Europe, once their crucible

Fri, 20 Dec, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-CASTRES-TOULOUSE

S Ronan O'Gara: This will take a mammoth effort from Munster to beat Castres

Also, on Sam Prendergast, my bad. I now see where all the hot air about the Leinster kid was coming from. He's good.

Fri, 13 Dec, 2024

Bath Rugby v Stade Rochelais - Investec Champions Cup 2024/2025

Ronan O'Gara open to Ireland, England and France jobs, but not Wales

"There are Test jobs I’d bite people’s hands off for. That usually works itself out if you’re good enough at your club. You’ve got to have those ambitions, I think, because you want to be the best you can be.”

Mon, 09 Dec, 2024

UJ Seuteni celebrates as Tawera Kerr-Barlow scores their side’s third try 6/12/2024

La Rochelle hold off Bath fightback to claim Champions Cup win

La Rochelle had led 21-6 at the break and looked to be cruising towards a bonus point victory.

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

UJ Seuteni celebrates as Tawera Kerr-Barlow scores their side’s third try 6/12/2024

La Rochelle hold off Bath fightback to claim Champions Cup win

La Rochelle had led 21-6 at the break and looked to be cruising towards a bonus point victory.

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

Bath Rugby v Stade Rochelais - Investec Champions Cup 2024/2025

'The better team won tonight' - Ronan O'Gara delighted with La Rochelle victory over Bath

"Brilliant first half, shocking second half," was O'Gara's summary of La Rochelle's performance.

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

2024/2025 Investec Champions Cup European Rugby Challenge Cup Launch 15/10/2024

S Ronan O'Gara: Park Vannes. We are going to sink or swim in Bath

Right now, where we are idling, I’d bite anyone’s hand off for a big performance on Friday night against Bath at The Rec.

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-CASTRES-LA ROCHELLE

Ronan O'Gara: 'I hope they have the courage to go out into town. I expect to get a few insults. It’s important the players feel the fans’ frustration'

As Champions Cup week looms, Ronan O'Gara lays down challenge to La Rochelle players following home defeat to lowly Vannes

Sun, 01 Dec, 2024

Ireland Rugby Squad Training and Media Conference

S Ronan O'Gara: Crowley can't sulk. He's now the hunter. This is a long, cold war

The plain truth is that there must be those in the Irish camp who already believe Sam Prendergast is a better option at ten for Ireland, irrespective of his relative inexperience

Fri, 29 Nov, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-CASTRES-LA ROCHELLE

Ronan O'Gara's depleted La Rochelle fightback to earn bonus point

Joey Carbery stepped off the bench for Bordeaux after just 10 minutes as they fought back to win after being 29-7 down at half-time against Vannes.

Sat, 23 Nov, 2024

Ireland Captain's Run

S Ronan O'Gara: An arm around the shoulder or kick up the backside?

With the decision to draft in Sam Prendergast for the second of the autumn internationals, Irish rugby’s favourite blood sport is off to the races – who’s our best 10 option looking ahead to the next World Cup.

Fri, 15 Nov, 2024

New Zealand Rugby Captain's Run

S Ronan O'Gara: This isn’t about spite. It's about whose rugby is better, Ireland’s or New Zealand’s

Dublin might, only might, be the most significant challenge for New Zealand on this tour. But Scott Robertson knows the next autumn series that really matters to him is in 2027 in Australia.

Listen | Fri, 08 Nov, 2024

Stade Rochelais Captain's Run

Ronan O'Gara exclusive: Munster love remains but that doesn't mean I'll ever coach there

These are turbulent times, but the solution for their next head coach is already in the building with a combo of Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy. Logic, never mind history, tell us that most good No 1’s start as No 2’s or 3’s.

Fri, 01 Nov, 2024

South Africa v Ireland - Summer Tour

S Ronan O'Gara: 'Saucy' Frawley has put Ireland ten jersey back in play

Ahead of the November internationals, a sideways look at Farrell's Ireland, Razor's All Blacks and Rassie's South Africa

Fri, 25 Oct, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-BAYONNE-LA ROCHELLE

S Ronan O'Gara: Having a nutty over the worst defeat of my coaching career? What's the point

Last Saturday in San Sebastian wasn't bad. It was humiliating. So what happens next?

Fri, 18 Oct, 2024

Gordon D'Arcy celebrates his try with Shane Horgan and Luke Fitzgerald 2/5/2009

How Ronan O’Gara jibe fuelled Johnny Sexton’s drive to succeed

'I’ve spent a lot of time apologising for that moment over the years… At this stage, I’m actually glad that I did it. I was just being me'

Sun, 29 Sep, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-RACING 92-LA ROCHELLE

Ronan O'Gara will sleep well after 'miracle' La Rochelle victory over Racing 92

Stuart Lancaster’s Racing 92 have slipped to 11th in the Top 14 after their third defeat in four games.

Sun, 29 Sep, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-TOULOUSE-LA ROCHELLE

O'Gara's La Rochelle still can't solve the Toulouse problem

Toulouse’s utterly entertaining, high-intensity come-from-behind 35-27 win on Sunday was their 11th in 14 matches against O’Gara’s charges.

Sun, 15 Sep, 2024

Ronan O'Gara with the media after the game 13/4/2024

S Ronan O'Gara: Measuring the time it takes to haul yourself out of the doldrums

How we unravelled at the end of last season fed into a hard truth that never left me –we were not properly at the pace of the game all season. That’s a big statement and it’s on me too

Fri, 06 Sep, 2024

French rugby: James Coughlan looks to lift Biarritz from the doldrums

French rugby: James Coughlan looks to lift Biarritz from the doldrums

In France's Top 14, Ronan O'Gara has also inked a deal to bring Racing's Nolann Le Garrec to La Rochelle.

Wed, 21 Aug, 2024

Leinster v La Rochelle - Investec Champions Cup Quarter-Final

S Donnacha Ryan extends contract at Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle

Losing Top 14 finalists Bordeaux have confirmed the arrival of Scotland's Jonny Gray from Exeter along with former Munster fly-half Joey Carbery, who will be charged with pushing Matthieu Jalibert for the 10 shirt

Tue, 09 Jul, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-TOULON-LA ROCHELLE

S Ronan O'Gara: When there's a season on the line, there's no tomorrow

Toulouse’s last meaningful outing was the Champions Cup final against Leinster the better part of a month ago. Chances are they might be short a bit of cohesion.

Fri, 21 Jun, 2024

RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14-TOULON-LA ROCHELLE

Ronan O'Gara's relief as La Rochelle eye Toulouse revenge: 'We've woken up now'

'It’s been a difficult week. On Tuesday we hit breaking point. I told them I didn’t like their attitude in training. It felt like we were back at the first day of the season'

Sun, 16 Jun, 2024