Ronan O’Gara weighs up the sweet life in Paris
The legendary out-half, who won 128 international caps for Ireland, called time on his career at the end of last season to take up a coaching role with Racing Metro in Paris.
However, without an incentive to train anymore he has put on a stone in weight and has blamed the quality of food in Paris for the gain.
“I stood on the scales yesterday and I was 86kg. I need to row it back in. I probably played at 80kg or 82kg, but I’ve put on a stone in eight months. If I keep going, by 40 I’ll be what... 18 stone?” he said at an Irish Examiner sports breakfast yesterday.
“I’ve had a great eight months since moving to Paris. It’s different obviously. The food is absolutely unbelievable and it’s an easy lifestyle.
“I don’t have a motivation at the moment to train. I’ve lost all the will to train because I just loved training in the group scenario with the competitive element and the challenge of that. Being a coach now though you’re isolated on your own. Going on the treadmill or for a run around the park doesn’t float my boat.”
Ironically, O’Gara was repeatedly told during his career to put on more bulk, but was unable to.
“I’d be a slow gainer in the gym. I could eat away, Big Macs or whatever, but if I wanted to carry a stone of that sure what good is that to you? it’d be dead weight,” he said.
“With the amount of kicking and training I did the system was always churning calories.”
O’Gara was quizzed by members of the audience & and warned parents not to push their children too hard in their sporting careers.
“I enjoyed every sport growing up. I played everything and really enjoyed it,” he said.
“It’s just important the young boys and girls enjoy it and get exercise. I wouldn’t be pushing it too hard, it will take its own course.”
