O’Gara aims to prove his worth in tangle with Tonga

IT’S been a difficult season so far for Ronan O’Gara, perhaps made even more so by the fact it promised so much at the beginning.

But, seven months after his last start for Ireland, the out-half is back in the starting line-up. For many observers out there, it’s not before time.

Argentina, at a puddle-ridden Lansdowne Road last November, was the Munster man’s last start at No 10. Back then, it looked certain that he had firmly disposed of the challenge of David Humphreys for the Irish out-half berth. Two weeks previously, O’Gara had kept his nerve impressively, scoring six penalties in testing conditions to give Ireland their first victory over Australia in 23 years. It appeared he had lived up to the early promise. But then ...