French authorities hit Ronan O'Gara with technical 'regulation breach'

Local media suggest breach may be due to the fact that O'Gara was in the dressing room area at La Defense Arena at half-time last Saturday on weekend his ten week suspension ended

La Rochelle's coach Ronan O'Gara

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara is in bother again with French rugby officials.

He was this week cited for behaviour during Saturday's Top 14 match against Racing 92, where he was serving out the final match of a 10-week suspension for 'inappropriate comments' directed at FFR head of refereeing Franck Maciello.

"At the end of the Racing 92 - Stade Rochelais meeting, the designated match operations referent reported the behaviour of Mr. Ronan O'Gara," the LNR said in its weekly disciplinary round-up. The incident was, "likely to constitute a breach of the general regulations of the LNR and FFR", it added.

Regional newspaper Sud-Ouest reported that the citing may be due to the fact that O'Gara was in the dressing room area at La Defense Arena at half-time, where he "encouraged his players to leave the locker room before the start of the second half," in contravention of an existing touchline and dressing room suspension.

This is the third time this season that O'Gara has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing - he has already served two suspensions for a total of 16 weeks. His most recent ban ended on January 30.

Since taking sole charge at La Rochelle in July 2021, O'Gara has been sanctioned by the LNR's disciplinary committee five times. He has been handed a total of 20 weeks' suspension, and a formal reprimand.

He and club representatives have been summoned to a hearing next Wednesday, February 8. He is not suspended pending the hearing and will be on the touchline for La Rochelle's home match against Lyon this coming Saturday.