Racing need Munster magic, says O’Gara
It was a ‘home’ match for Racing even though it was moved almost 400km away to Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, but their hopes of making the last eight took a massive blow.
And having only drawn with Scarlets in an earlier round and a trip to Clermont Auvergne looming in January, the big-spending Paris side have to win against Conor O’Shea’s men at The Stoop next Saturday.
The fallout from Saturday’s horror show against a Quins side who could now become the first to reach the quarter-finals having lost their opening two matches, began on Sunday when the club’s owners moved their Top 14 clash with Toulon out of Stade de France on December 29 because they felt they weren’t worthy on playing in the national stadium.
Not even the introduction of the Lions half-backs Jonathan Sexton and last week’s controversial signing Mike Phillips could turn the game after they fell 17-3 behind in the opening half.
Now O’Gara wants them to respond and follow the example set by the Munster team he was part of just seven months ago which went to The Stoop and beat Harlequins in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup.
“A lot has happened since then but that’s sport, it moves very quickly. That’s the only good thing about this match, these same players will hopefully get the opportunity to restore some pride in the Racing jersey next week,” he said. “Racing now need do what Munster did last year. We need to be consistent and do that.
“I just think from getting hammered by Clermont and playing a really good game against Montpellier, we have to try and put performances together, but we need it to happen quickly or else it’s going to be a very frustrating season.
“I think after last week we were expecting to kick on but we are right back where we were, we’re just good performances and unacceptable performances.”
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