Henderson: Bring O’Gara back in

RONAN O’GARA should be handed the out-half jersey for Ireland’s crunch World Cup outing against Australia, according to the Munster man’s former international and provincial teammate Rob Henderson.

Jonathan Sexton was not at his most commanding in the lacklustre opener against USA. While the Leinster pivot was not alone, and some observers have pointed the finger at the centre partnership as the cause of many of Ireland’s ills, Henderson argues O’Gara is the man required.

“This weekend, personally I think that Ronan O’Gara should start,” said Henderson, who joined Heineken Rugby World Cup ambassadors Will Carling and Zinzan Brooke to record a Rugby World Cup videocast for Heineken.ie.

“He could target the corners, pin Australia back and is playing as well as he ever has at 34 years of age. And if the game needs to be changed you have got Sexton to come off the bench and make an impact.

“That would be more my area of concern than the middle of the park. [Gordon] D’Arcy and [Brian] O’Driscoll are a world-class partnership and if they play as well as they can we’ve got every chance.”

Another area of discussion is the balance of the back row and, while Scott Quinnell argued Ireland might not have it right, Henderson was in no doubt Sean O’Brien could play at openside.

“Ireland have got three of the best back-rowers around when you look at [Jamie] Heaslip, [Stephen] Ferris and [Sean] O’Brien” declared Quinnell. “Can the three of them all play in the back row together? I would question [that]. You need an out-and-out seven. They may go with the three of them but if O’Brien is going to play seven, you’re going to lose his destructive running from second phase.”

This, according to Quinnell, is why David Wallace’s unfortunate knee injury is such a massive blow to Ireland — but Henderson isn’t sure that the 35-year-old would have made the starting line-up anyway.

“I think even if Wally was there he’d be under pressure from O’Brien. I think he’s that good. He can do the groundwork for Ireland and can be destructive, maybe not from second phase, but from third or fourth phase. He’s absolutely electric.”