Ronan O’Gara encouraged as ‘honest‘ Racing give their all

Pride restored after a Parisian wake-up call a fortnight ago, Ronan O’Gara was able to take plenty of encouragement from Racing 92’s honourable defeat on his return to Thomond Park.

Yet there was also frustration for the French champions’ assistant coach that his club felt unable to field its strongest side and test a Munster side he believes are capable of matching the heroics of his era in red.

The Irish fly-half legend, who left the Munster family after hanging up his boots in 2013 to earn his coaching spurs in a different environment, was left angered two weeks ago when his Racing players, already eliminated from the Champions Cup having reached the final just eight months earlier, let themselves and their coaches down as they capitulated to a 32-7 defeat to his home province at Stade Yves du Manoir.