The England job? Of course I'd be interested, says Ronan O'Gara 

The former Ireland and Munster man says he'd love to coach at Test level at some stage. 

NEXT STEPS: La Rochelle coach Ronan O'Gara

Ronan O'Gara has reaffirmed his interest in succeeding Eddie Jones as England manager after next year's World Cup.

The Irish Examiner columnist has built a world-class coaching CV since his playing days with Munster and Ireland and is currently director of rugby at European champions La Rochelle. 

O'Gara is currently working with his former Crusaders boss Scott Robertson as part of the Barbarians set-up, who take on the All Blacks XV this week. 

“Yeah, of course, I would be,” O'Gara told the London Times when asked if he'd be interested in the top England post when Jones' contract expires. 

“It’s a huge job. There’s probably a lot involved with it, and you’d have to be very firm with what your criteria are and what your role is. When you strip it all back, essentially you want to be winning games, but you need a strong support network around you to be put in that position.

“I would be thorough in my approach, in terms of what country you’d like to coach. There are a handful that jump out straight away."

The Corkman admits however that the attraction of coaching his own country would have a particular resonance. 

“I’m from Ireland," he continues, "which would have a special appeal [coaching them]. I would consider long and hard about what country. They’re all different, and they would have different replies.

“It’s a professional game, and if one job was to be just the coach for a side at Test level for your own country, I could see that appealing to me, and also concentrating on the club game.

“But then you might want to try, if your health allows, to be a veteran Test coach where you could have 20 years at Test level — there are coaches that have done that and done brilliantly.”

O'Gara, meanwhile, could be facing another spell away from the pitch due to another disciplinary issue.

The Corkman has been called to go before the disciplinary committee by the LNR, after remarks he made "relating to refereeing".

The match in which the incident took place has not been specified by the LNR, but comes just a number of days after the Top 14 win over Brive at the weekend.

“Following the remarks made by Mr. Ronan O’Gara, coach of Stade Rochelais, relating to refereeing, the commissioners for citation and organization of the championships to the National Technical Director of Arbitration, the President of the LNR and the Secretary General of the FFR have referred to the disciplinary committee and regulations, The LNR statement read.

“The situation in question is likely to constitute an infringement of the general regulations of the NRL and the FFR.

“Consequently, Mr. Ronan O’Gara and Stade Rochelais are summoned before the commission of discipline and regulations at a meeting on Wednesday, 16 November, 2022."

O'Gara's hearing is set for next Wednesday, 17th of November, and any resulting ban would be his third since joining the French outfit. 

After serving a six-week suspension for "disrespecting the authority of a match official" recently, O'Gara has just returned to full duty with his club.