Ronan O'Gara facing increase in touchline ban after appeal

The La Rochelle head coach was initially given a fortnight's ban  and a fine.

La Rochelle’s head coach Ronan O'Gara speaks to the media. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Ronan O’Gara faces an additional touchline ban, after French rugby’s governing body, the Fédération française de rugby (FFR), referred an earlier two-match suspension imposed in December to its Federal Appeals Committee.

The La Rochelle manager had already been handed a two-week suspension and fined €3,000 by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), after he had been sent to the stands less than an hour into La Rochelle’s 53-33 Top 14 defeat at Pau on November 30.

O’Gara had earlier received an on-the-pitch dressing down by referee Jeremy Rozier moments after fly-half Antoine Hastoy was sent off 34 seconds into their 55-33 defeat at Stade du Hameau.

In their initial confrontation, Rozier had told a visibly furious O’Gara: “The law is very clear, the player is bleeding and the foot goes directly to the head — it’s a red card.” As the Rochelais’ manager continued to remonstrate, he added: “I don’t want to hear any more from you. My decision is made.” 

But, O’Gara continued to voice his displeasure at repeated decisions, prompting Rozier to send him to the stands shortly before the hour mark.

The LNR’s initial ban has now been extended to four weeks, after the FFR deemed the initial sanction insufficient and appealed, stating that it is “particularly attentive to actions targeting match officials”.

In a statement, the FFR said, “At its meeting on February 4, 2026, the Federal Appeals Commission sanctioned Mr Ronan O’Gara with a four-week suspension and a €3,000 fine for the following offence: “Disrespecting the authority of a match official.” 

At the time, O’Gara was philosophical about his red card. “It’s the job of the fourth and fifth officials to pass the message on to the referee,” he said. “I contested a decision. I have to accept that.

“It’s just going to fuel the reputation that I’m crazy.” 

No dates have been confirmed for O’Gara’s suspension to take place, but he is expected to watch La Rochelle’s next match — at home against Montpellier on February 14 — from the stands.

Since taking charge at La Rochelle following the departure of Jono Gibbes in 2021, O’Gara has appeared before the French league’s disciplinary body several times, and has been handed some notable touchline bans: two weeks in November 2021 and April 2022, six in September 2022, 10 in November 2022, and five more at the end of last season.