Ronan O'Gara: Rugby might be in trouble but Tolu Latu’s made my day

One or two bad apples in an orchard is no big problem. At the start when I took over there was some weeding to be done in the garden and it wasn’t done in one afternoon either. It took time

TOP MAN: La Rochelle's hooker Tolu Latu (R) gets away the offload in their Top 14 clash last month against Montpellier. Latu's attitude is a godsend for his head coach. PicL Xavier Leoty, Getty.

TAKING stock of the state of club rugby would easily lead one to conclude it’s in a bit of a state.

The French Top 14 appears to be insulated from a lot of the turmoil, apathy and financial squeeze around comparable competitions like the URC and the Champions Cup, and given the eagle eyes of hedge funds and corporate investors, it is no massive shock that a new rebel league, the R360, has the potential to torpedo the status quo for the club game in 2026.