Breaking dressing room bond leaves sour aftertaste

It’s not good when people who are investing trust in you feel they are out of the loop, writes Ronan O’Gara.

IF you are working and progressing in a dressing room with coaches and players, trust and loyalty are two of the key components that knit it all together. They can take time to build up, but be lost quickly. Players need to feel that the person guiding them has their back, that they will all sink or surge together. It’s a rapport that develops over time.

In my time at Racing 92, the fact I have a fair grasp of French means I am frequently the conversational link for the overseas players. They don’t want to feel they are missing out on the nuances of the native banter that goes on in dressing rooms and at training, and I know they rely on me for that speedy translation from French to English. It has helped me, too, in forging friendships and trust these past four-and-a-half years.