Ronan keen to clock up 100th cap in autumn series

RONAN O’GARA has admitted he was relieved not to win his 100th Ireland cap as a late replacement against Australia during the summer.

Fly-half O’Gara, 33, is in line to reach his century of international appearances during next month’s autumn series of Tests against South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina.

He will vie with Leinster’s Jonny Sexton for the starting number 10 jersey against the Springboks on November 6 at the Aviva Stadium, having lost the berth to the 25-year-old in Ireland’s most recent match, the one-off Test against Australia, a 22-15 defeat at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in June.