What now for the man who owes us nothing?

If Ronan O’Gara still has some sleeping to do on the matter of his plans for next season, Munster head coach Rob Penney must be praying that the fly-half’s dreams are all of his glory days in red.

The 36-year-old once again showed his worth to the province at the weekend as he spearheaded Munster’s valiant but ultimately unsuccessful fight-back against ASM Clermont Auvergne in Montpellier.

That it was O’Gara’s 110th Heineken Cup game and his 10th semi-final suggested to some that it might well be his last for after 13 seasons, Ireland’s most capped player must decide whether to accept Munster’s offer of a one-year contract or go for enticing alternatives overseas and begin a new chapter in his life on a coaching path that he hopes one day will lead him into the hot seat Penney currently occupies.

The New Zealander has only worked with Munster’s iconic fly-half for a season but he fully recognises and appreciates the value of keeping O’Gara’s talents in the family, even if he became surplus to Ireland’s requirements on the international stage.

The way the Cork man orchestrated a comeback in a feverish Stade de la Mosson on Saturday to supply an exquisite grubber for Denis Hurley to score a second-half try to put Munster within a score of an upset over the Heineken Cup favourites and keep a star-studded Clermont side in panic mode with the pinpoint accuracy of his kicks to the corner only served to underline the point.

His crossfield kick to the right touchline and the waiting arms of fellow old stager Paul O’Connell an added and delightful flourish of confirmation.

“Terrific,” said Penney afterwards of O’Gara’s performance.

“He loves the big moments, obviously, and he’s been great for us since he’s come back from Ireland. He’s had a clear image of what he’s trying to achieve, and what he wants to do and he’s such a passionate Munster man. Terrific.”

In the aftermath of his 10th semi-final, having made an emotional trudge, son in his arms, around the Mosson pitch to acknowledge the red army of the province’s travelling supporters, O’Gara would not be drawn on whether Saturday’s game represented his final act as a Munster player.

“It is not a day for thinking about that,” he said. “Today our sole focus was on Clermont. It was a massive occasion. You’d be disrespectful to your team-mates if you were thinking any other way. I was so focused on this. I love coming to France. It has given me the best of my rugby memories. This competition made me appreciate rugby so much and I’ll sleep on it until the end of the season.”

Penney will be hoping he sleeps well and when asked for his views on the subject, said: “Look, Rog has got his own decisions to make. Of course, he’ll be a part of Munster rugby as long as he wants to be.”

Had he discussed the situation with O’Gara? “Absolutely,” Penney replied, “When I know, you’ll know.”

Munster full-back Felix Jones has had the benefit of O’Gara’s experience as father of the backline for four seasons now and he spoke of his wish to eke out a little more of it in the future when asked what the fly-half brought to the table.

“Where do you start?” Jones replied. “For me, personally, since I came to Munster, I’ve always looked up to him. His experience is just invaluable to any team and hopefully we’ll get a bit more out of him yet.

“But,” added Jones, expressing the anxiety of an entire province hoping for one more year, at least, from O’Gara, “let’s wait and see.”