O’Gara: We got out of a hole

RONAN O’GARA had visions of a torrid night in Bordeaux and a narrow escape against Georgia as Italy’s Luke McLean scored the try that edged the Azzurri in front with five minutes to go in Rome.

And the veteran fly-half was forthright about the consequences of being on the first Ireland side to lose to Italy in a Six Nations match had he not slotted over a face-saving and game-winning drop goal to secure a 13-11 win at Stadio Flaminio.

“It would have been an almighty kick in the balls for us if we had lost today; let’s call a spade a spade. It was important that we got out of that hole,” he admitted.