O'Gara axe shows depth of Warren Gatland's beef with Eddie O'Sullivan

Ronan O'Gara’s omission from an Ireland team to play Scotland underlines just how badly the relationship between Warren Gatland and Eddie O’Sullivan broke down when the pair worked together during Gatland’s spell as Ireland coach from 1998-2001.

Speaking on the Newstalk Off The Ball Roadshow, Gatland said: "We selected the team to play Scotland. At midnight I get a knock on my door and it’s Eddie and Brian O’Brien.

"Eddie says to me: ‘I think we’ve made a mistake at 10, I think we should look at that and change the team around, and pick Dave Humphreys."

Next day, Gatland said he took O’Sullivan’s comments on board and decided to change his starting line-up, bringing Humphreys in at out-half.

That ensured he soon had another visitor.

“Later that day, Ronan O’Gara comes to me,” Gatland continued,

“And he says: ‘I’m pretty disappointed about being left out of the team and not being selected, but I’ve spoken to Eddie and he said to me that at the end of the day, you’re the coach and you had the final say.’”

O’Sullivan succeeded Gatland as Ireland coach but the current Wales coach insists he never told O’Gara why he was dropped that day.

“I never said anything to Ronan, and I’ve never ever told him that story.”