Ronan O’Gara confirms Ireland coaching role

Ronan O’Gara will take a role on Ireland’s extended coaching team for the summer tour to the US and Japan.

His main duties will be skills and working with young number 10s.

“I’m luckily going on the first week of the summer tour to America. It’s really exciting and a great opportunity for me to learn from who I consider the best coach in world rugby in Joe Schmidt. I can’t wait,” O’Gara told the sportsJoe Live show.

Ireland wing Simon Zebo is relishing the prospect of linking up with O’Gara in the Ireland setup, saying the former international out-half “knows exactly how I tick”.

Zebo said: “He is a wealth of knowledge and experience. Any time that man speaks, players’ ears are going to listen.

“Even if he says the wrong thing, everybody would buy into it and if everybody buys into something that could be the wrong thing, it’ll work. He’s a very successful coach and he’s made the transition.

“I’m sure if he goes on any tour with Ireland he’ll have a great impact. He knows exactly how I tick.”

While Joe Schmidt plays Zebo on the wing in green, Munster’s preference is leaning more and more towards full back where he turned in one of his finest performances in the red jersey against Toulouse.

“I’d prefer full back, definitely, even though I was a wing all the way up,” said Zebo.

“This is probably the first year I’d played solely full back for Munster. I love the options I have coming into attack, I love covering the backfield as well and I get a great kick out of having battles with tens, showing them where the kick space is, dummying, all those mind games.

“I had a good battle with Doussain (Toulouse)... , Johnny’s (Sexton) always good, he’s always giving you the look on the pitch, Owen Farrell will be the same. It’s a new position for me, but this year I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s where I can use my skill set to the team’s advantage.

“When I’m on the wing with Ireland, the ball might not always come out and you don’t have any control of that, but down here with Munster playing 15, I can go find the ball no matter what. It’s harder to do that on the wing as you have to hold the width.”

Zebo’s chances of achieving his desire to wearing the green No15 jersey edge nearer with Rob Kearney suffering so many injury setbacks, although he is aware of the progress of being made in the role by Joey Carbery.

“Jeez, he’s just a natural footballer, you’re able to play anywhere when you’ve his ability, it’s great to see. I love watching him play, he’s very talented, he’s got all the skills, the better he does... the better it is for him, I suppose! Not for anyone else,” he says, laughing.

Then there’s the prospect of a second Lions tour this summer. “That’s just purely a coach’s decision, the only thing you can do is play well. Earlsy went two tours ago and he only had one or two caps. There’s loads of opportunities for every player playing in these isles. I’m sure if we keep doing what we’re doing and keep notching up the wins, we’ll have a few Munster lads there. I just have to focus on helping my team.”