O’Gara: Vital to sign up Heaslip and O’Connell

Ronan O’Gara admits it would be a blow to Irish rugby if new captain Paul O’Connell moved to a French club next summer.

The 128-cap fly-half warned O’Connell and vice-captain Jamie Heaslip they must have “an extremely good reason” to move to the French Top 14 at the end of the season.

Both Munster lock O’Connell and Leinster No 8 Heaslip are out of contract at the end of the campaign. Head coach Joe Schmidt has had no qualms installing the duo as the chief lieutenants of a new Ireland era.