O’Gara dreading Munster clash

Editor

Racing 92 assistant-coach Ronan O’Gara is scared of “betraying” his former side Munster when the teams meet in the Champions Cup.

O’Gara joined Racing’s coaching team in 2013 after finishing his playing career with Munster but now faces the emotional prospect of helping to plot his former team’s downfall.

The former Ireland fly-half won the European Cup twice with Munster as a player and scored a record 1,365 points.

Racing coach Laurent Labit admitted O'Gara was the "perfect spy" in their camp as they prepare for the clash on October 16 at Stade Yves du Manoir even if his right-hand man is not happy about working towards inflicting defeat on the team with whom he spent his entire 16-year playing career.

"It's very tough to start the competition with Munster. We have been watching them since the start of the season but we also have the best spy possible with Ronan O'Gara to know how they function," said Labit.

"Even if the staff has changed, we will have a lot of very useful indications. But Ronan won't be on the pitch and only the players will have their say.

"It's funny because he's got mixed feeling about meeting Munster. It's his club of heart, of love. He feels like betraying them. Of course, he wants Racing to win but, strangely, he's not happy facing them [Munster], even if he'll be thrilled to be back at Thomond Park."

The last time Munster kicked off their European campaign in Paris, when O'Gara was in the number ten jersey, they suffered defeat to Racing but went on to reach the semi-final.