Ronan O'Gara: Out of the England reckoning and here's the reason why...

When you are as happy personally and professionally as I am in La Rochelle, it would take something quite remarkable to change course from remaining here for another few seasons. 

PLUS CA CHANGE: La Rochelle coach Ronan O'Gara, who's ruled himself out of the running for the top England job. Picture: Photo by XAVIER LEOTY/AFP via Getty Images

THIS is how the day rolls. On Wednesday, we headed into La Rochelle to buy a pair of golf shoes for JJ. He’s 12 now and has been shaping around with clubs from the garage but got drowned last week playing in runners and we reckoned it was time to go proper. By the time we arrived at the golf store, he was eyeing a new set of clubs. By the time I arrived with him, I’d informed the RFU to eliminate me from their consideration to be the next English head coach.

The annoying bit of this episode has been the implication that ‘Rog is a cute negotiator’. If only people knew. It’s incredibly disappointing that some would put two and two together and get it so badly wrong in terms of playing English interest off against contract renewal conversations in La Rochelle.