Ronan O'Gara: Munster in La Rochelle will be magic. But it will have to wait
PUSHING: A rejuvenated Jack Crowley has given the Ireland management pause for thought as they make a call on the starting ten for Ireland in the Six Nations. Pic: Matt Impey/Sportsfile
PERHAPS our trajectories have been a bit different in recent seasons, but I still had to do a double take when one of the family suggested April’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Munster would be a first La Rochelle outing against my old team. The long, black shadow cast by the events around the grave loss of Anthony Foley in Paris over eight years ago extends longer than we might imagine.
The draw for the knockout phase inspired the liveliest sense of intrigue and curiosity around our training ground on Monday. The first thing I told them is that the similarities of a game against Leinster and Munster are negligible – and that’s got nought to do with the players. Munster in Europe is an occasion. It’s a team that I love, that I want to see doing well, that have so many good people supporting it. It is going to be a special weekend.
Unlimited access. Half the price.
