Ronan O’Gara: Munster and the identity that’s somewhere out there
FAMILIAR STORY: Munster players, from left, Peter O’Mahony, James Cronin, Joey Carbery, Mike Haley, and Andrew Conway reflect on where it all went wrong in last Saturday’s PRO14 final defeat to Leinster. There’s one Irish powerhouse that French-based players speak of and it’s not Munster, according to Ronan O’Gara.
Darren Sweetnam had his first La Rochelle training session Wednesday. He’s a good, educated west Cork man and he had his opening few words in French well prepared for the rest of the squad. Fair to say he brought the house down. If he was nervous, he didn’t show it, but he wasn’t the only one in the room with a few butterflies.
Darren is the first Munster man I’ve signed as a coach. That is a big deal for me too. You’ve only got one real home and we are all proud of where we come from. He’s come over to France to reignite his career and I’m the one who’s brought him here. I guess those things strike a little closer to the heart when he’s one of your own. It was a proud moment. Whenever I look back, he’ll be the first player I’ve signed from Munster.
