Peter O'Mahony: Ronan O'Gara being in the mix for Leinster a 'logical' move for the IRFU

IRFU performance director David Humphreys spoke this week about the possibility of O’Gara, a bona fide Munster legend, being in the frame for the Leinster posting.

Ronan O’Gara’s name has been prominent among the chattering classes despite his ongoing attachment to La Rochelle.

Peter O’Mahony may be Munster to the core but even he can see the logic in Ronan O’Gara being a prime IRFU candidate for a Leinster role to be vacated by Leo Cullen at the end of next season.

Cullen will bring the curtain down on what will be a dozen years in charge of the province once the 2026/27 campaign is put to bed, and talk has already turned to who might take over the country’s most successful professional province.

O’Gara’s name has been prominent among the chattering classes despite his ongoing attachment to La Rochelle in the Top 14 and talk earlier in the year that a new contract was being discussed to keep him in that idyllic corner of France.

IRFU performance director David Humphreys was asked specifically this week about the possibility of O’Gara, a bona fide Munster legend, being in the frame for the Leinster posting. The Ulsterman’s take didn’t do anything to lengthen those odds.

Humphreys explained how he had met with O’Gara when La Rochelle were in Belfast for a Challenge Cup tie back in the late spring to discuss the latter’s coaching ambitions, and he stated clearly that ‘Rog’ is a candidate for “every job that comes up” in Ireland.

The idea of O’Gara donning a Leinster tracksuit is an intriguing and, to some no doubt bizarre, one but this is a modern, global game and it isn’t long since he was being mentioned as a possible head coach of England.

“It would be a weird one, to be fair,” said O’Mahony who was speaking on Thursday morning to promote Virgin’s coverage of the Nations Championship. “It would be strange to see him in [Leinster colours] but the logic says exactly what David Humphreys says.

“Rog knows better than anyone that, first and foremost, you are dealing with a seriously good team to coach and he will also have an ambition to come back to Ireland, I would imagine, and some day end up in an Irish management role with the national team.

“Given the history, and the tendencies of the IRFU, they normally promote from within the country. Andy [Farrell] was the defensive coach, Paul [O’Connell] is Paul, Fogs [John Fogarty] came through Leinster, Goody [Andrew Goodman] came through Leinster, so they like to promote guys who are in the system.

“It would be a huge job for him to take over at Leinster but it would be a pathway, I would imagine, to what is a goal for him to coach the national team. So a very logical way of looking at things from an IRFU point of view would certainly be to have Ronan as a candidate for that job.” 

Peter O'Mahony and Ronan O'Gara during their Munster playing days. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Whatever about the next Leinster coach, Andy Farrell is due to remain as the man in the Ireland hot seat through to the 2031 World Cup after signing his own contract extension with the union this year.

Farrell’s side got their inaugural Nations Championship campaign underway in Sydney last weekend with a nip-and-tuck win against Australia in Sydney, but nine changes have been made to the XV for the follow-up against Japan in Newcastle.

Four debuts could be made against Eddie Jones’ side. It’s an unusual volume of alterations for Farrell but O’Mahony isn’t buying the argument that this is the last big chance to experiment ahead of the World Cup Down Under next year.

“I don’t know if it’s a last shot. Andy is always good at picking games for certain people that he would have earmarked. This is a full-on competition now, it’s not a tour anymore, there are points at stake on the log. It’s imperative that Ireland win at the weekend, first and foremost.

“You’re right, he doesn’t hand out caps, and he will be putting pressure on these guys – and they will know it themselves. It’s not even putting pressure on them, they know they are getting a shot and you have to be ready to take it.

“The guys who are in this weekend, some might come back out, some might stay in, but you have to leave Andy and the lads with a lasting memory that, if you’re needed again, they will look back to the performance this weekend that you laid down in the jersey.” 

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