Ronan O'Gara: Lions ambition remains but 'chasing a Test job isn't interesting anymore'

O'Gara would love to see France added to the traditional Lions tour rotation. 

Being La Rochelle head coach still excites Ronan O'Gara. "I want to try and go after a Bouclier next season," he said. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ronan O'Gara says coaching the Lions remains an ambition but the foreseeable future is all about La Rochelle. 

O'Gara's side finished seventh in this season's Top 14, one spot outside the playoffs in a turbulent campaign which saw them go 105 days without a win. La Rochelle have won two Champions Cup title under O'Gara but the Top 14 crown has remained elusive. 

The Munster legend has been linked with international jobs in recent times, including England and Australia, but says chasing those roles no longer interests him. 

"Of course," said O'Gara when asked about coaching the Lions, "but time is ticking and ticking fast, as we all know! In the last 12 months, I'm at peace with what I'm doing here. I'm very excited about what I'm doing here. I want to try and go after a Bouclier next season. That, for me, is the short, middle and long term. 

"Chasing a Test job isn't interesting anymore. I got distracted and gave energy to that, and it serves no one well. For me, I'll be the best version of myself here. If it goes anywhere else, so be it. If not, I'm very content."

Argentina has regularly been suggested as a possible addition to the traditional Lions Test series rotation of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. O'Gara was impressed with the Pumas' in their victory over the Lions on Friday but another possible stop on the tourists' orbit excites him more.

"Sure everything now is changing in sport, and that’s the beauty of it," said O'Gara.

"You want to respect tradition, you want to keep those values, but straight away, you look at Argentina - what about going to France, you know?

"There would be some hot-beds over here for it. The appetite for rugby over here is incredible, and the British and Irish Lions are big in France as well.

"It would become only bigger if you had a team led by someone like Dupont going against them. It makes it very, very exciting.

"I think there is preliminary discussions, and it’s about growing the game. For me, France, Argentina, you can’t rule out anywhere in the US as well because there’s a big appetite for it over there as well."