In the dock: Ronan O'Gara
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Munster fly-half Ronan O'Gara has been cited for kicking an opponent during Sunday's 26-17 victory over Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup.
The 35-year-old Irishman was reported by citing commissioner Alberto Recaldini after a second-half incident involving Edinburgh lock Sean Cox.
If found guilty, O'Gara could find himself banned for some or all of Ireland's Six Nations campaign, which begins at holders Wales on February 13.
The citing carries a low end entry point of a four-week ban, with a top-end sanction of anywhere between 12 weeks and a year if found guilty.
Meanwhile, Racing Metro's France international centre Fabrice Estebanez has also been cited for allegedly striking Saracens wing David Strettle with his arm during his side's loss on Saturday.
Stade Francais lock Juan Cruz Guillemain faces a more serious charge under the same law after allegedly striking Grenoble's Fabien Alexandre with his head in their Amlin Challenge Cup match.
The top-end entry point for Guillemain's citing is from 16 weeks to two years.
All three cases will be heard in Dublin on Thursday, with Judge Jeff Blackett passing judgement on O'Gara, while Ireland's independent Judicial Officer Pat Barriscale will rule on both Estebanez and Guillemain.
Comments
ALLAN says...
Dont know why they are saying allegedly, there is no two ways about it that he ran up and "sucker" kicked the bloke in the leg/ankle while he had his back turned. It was a dirty cheap shot that could have ended in a serious injury. He should get the book thrown at him irregardless of what caused him to do it or who he is.
Posted 13:40 17th January 2013
ExiledAl says...
Sorry about the appalling spelling in that... eh-hem... I'd blame my mobile device, but In fairness, I'm just tom tit at it.
Posted 12:08 17th January 2013
ExiledAl says...
@Chubbylugs
The hypocrisy of our game is (for my part at least) I wouldn't have been having this conversation with you if O'Gara had just punched Cox. My only objection is the manner of the retaliation. I'm also well aware of how stupid that logic is. O'Gara, in my mind, has had a career that aught to dictate greater maturity.
Blocking, shirt pulling and late hits etc... have been in the game since it was created, and the refs have been missing it since before that. Oddly enough, that list at the begging of this paragraph is what is referred to as "cute" play by pundits that see their own team doing it. It's a violent, confrontational sport. Provocation will exist forever, as will reactions to it. O'Gara's reaction was extremely rare though, and it aught to remain so. Whilst I agree with you, and indeed empathize with ROG's frustration, I don't, and wouldn't expect many others to agree with the course of action he took after that.
Kicking for whatever reason is deemed far worse than punching. As I said at the begging though... I am Jacks raging hypocrisy gland. In short, if some cat did that to him again, and he immediately threw a box, about 80% of fans would think "Ah sure, yer man deserved that". Kicking him whilst his back is turned... Less so.
Posted 10:04 17th January 2013
chubbylugs says...
@ExiledAI,
you are right it probably isnt by definition a shoulder charge, however he makes a definite effort to get in his way and he does turn his shoulder in. you could call it an intentional shoulder block
my point being that the protagonist rarely gets cited for foul play. Its certainly ungentlemanly conduct on the part of cox. cox's reaction is terrible as well "enjoy your f..ing time off"
You rarely get unprovoked assaults and there is usually a provocating cause to most fights. o'gara's reaction is wrong, but one a great many people would also have. until you remove all the provocation, then you will always get reaction. sledging is one thing, but until referee's clamp down on blocking / shirt pulling etc this will keep happening
Posted 16:10 16th January 2013
ExiledAl says...
@ Chubbylugs, you've got to be joking if you think that was a shoulder charge. O'Gara remains on his feet, even a basic understanding of physics would dictate one of them would have gone flying. It was deliberate obstruction, it was cheating, and it was cynical, but suggesting it was a citable shoulder charge in order to condone, what to me looks like the sort of petulance you'd get from a child who didn't know any better is laughable.
Posted 14:34 16th January 2013
MunsterRedArmy says...
@JamieTheProp: But do you know the Munster style of play? I fear not.
@12Counties: Every bit of what you said is true. Respect!
Posted 13:49 16th January 2013
Chubbylugs says...
Tbh watching the clip, I'd react the same way as ogara. He got taken out well after he kicked through. The citing commissioners cite the reaction of a player and often let the main protagonist off scot free. Cox I think his name is shoulder charged him off the ball which is equally citable IMHO
Posted 13:31 16th January 2013
ronanmeagher says...
@12Counties - well said. O'Gara has given us a lot, he was never the perfect No.10, but his boot rarely left him or his team down, and his control form 10 was second to known for 10 years. He also had a great pass when he managed to deploy it. Yeah, his defense was poor and whenever he decided to take the ball on himself it rarely ended well but every player has their faults.
@pierredelot1 - I was at that match, my recollection was that McRea's attack was pretty much unprovoked, he just took a dislike to a young, cocky No.10 that was better than him.
Posted 12:59 16th January 2013
JamieTheProp says...
There are very, very few rugby players I actively dislike but O'Gara is one of them - he inspires negative play (the Munster style of play), sulks when it isn't going his way and has proved over his career that he isn't above a cheap shot.
He also lost the Lions a test in South Africa with stupid play.
The sooner he retires the better world rugby will be.
Posted 12:53 16th January 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Well Ronans being keeping quiet of late. But I seem to remember he suffered a major hammering on a Lions Tour to Australia after he dealt out a particularly cheap shot, but I thought McRea had taught him a lesson. Leopard never changes its spots eh.
Posted 11:32 16th January 2013
12Counties says...
Have to say, I find the attitiude towards O'Gara, particularly from some of my fellow Leinster fans, to be a bit much. Yeah, hes on the last lap, but the guy has given so much to Irish rugby over the last 10-12 years, he deserves a little more respect. I'm old enought to remember Irish rugby in the late '80s and '90s and it was grim. Things continued to be grim even after the arrival of O'Driscoll. It wasn't until O'Gara and 4 others made their debuts against Scotland that results improved. Hes been around ever since and has refused to go quietly into the night because hes a proud man who still thinks he has something to offer. That self belief has served Ireland, and particularly Munster, well over the years. I did find him annoying for a time, when Munster were winning things and himself Leamy and O'Callaghan were giving Contepomi a hard time but my overriding memory of him when hes gone will be of nerveless kicking displays, crossfield kicks to Shaggy at Croke Park and unfortunately running into the south terrace from half way at Lansdowne Rd. He shouldn't have kicked Cox up the hole, and he'll get a ban. I wouldn't have him in the Ireland squad at the moment, but its not his fault for still wanting to play for his country. Wouldn't you? As long as he continues to make himself available, its somebody elses job to decide when his Ireland time is up.
Posted 10:31 16th January 2013
tha_mai says...
despite the commentator's apology for unsavoury language, the call of 'enjoy your ffffing time off' from (is it Cox?) Edinburgh player may well come true, whether he enjoys it or not.
see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCkHxSk3xWY
Presume this kind of incident is one example, when the new TMO laws come into effect, TMO could have recommended a red card?
Posted 05:41 16th January 2013
rocky15 says...
Hopefully O'Gara gets a lengthy ban because of this, which will result in him not featuring in the 6 nations. This should give Keatley and/or Madigan a chance to break into the Ireland squad. Keatley is coming along nicely and Madigan has transformed into a key Leinster squad member (Albeit as a replacement now), and with his versatility he should be an obvious choice for the 6N squad.
Also, if O'Gara gets the lengthy ban that he deserves for his cowardice, it'll give Munster an opportunity to let others break into the squad, instead of relying on an over rated has-been.
Posted 01:58 16th January 2013
ollieosprey says...
nice bit of justice for this coward, remember him kicking Justin Tipuric or Kahn Fotalili at the bottom of a ruck last year in the Pro12 semi final after Tipuric pulled off a great dump tackle on him. Idiot, hope he's banned for the six nations
Posted 18:25 15th January 2013
BackingLeinster says...
@tellitlikeitis
First of its not provincial nattering, secondly who cares about the size difference, Stringer never did. Someone bothered him he got in their face. O'Gara went for a sly kick. Would have had no issue with him if he squared up to him and threw a punch, yellow card at worst but a sly kick he'll get what he deserves
Posted 16:24 15th January 2013
GCP_jones says...
I think its a blessing in disguise.I have a lot of time for O'Gara, but Munster under Penney were playing a lot better when he was'nt available at the start of the season,from the Irish perspective Deccie's hand will be forced into making a change (as usual).
Posted 15:50 15th January 2013
tellitlikeitis says...
Backing Leinster- have ytou seen the size of cox to o gara? Doesn't have thge cjones? Get a grip of yourself fyou muppet. We all do stupid things in life, Cox was all over him all game and he reacted. Fair enoguh it was stupid, but stop your pathetic provincial nattering you fool
Posted 15:00 15th January 2013
froggy73 says...
O'Gara is ALWAYS into fightings off the ball. This guy should have been cited many more times in his career. Anyway, his is past now.
Posted 14:32 15th January 2013
MunsterRedArmy says...
ROG contributed to Irish and Munster rugby a lot but he does these idiotic things quite often and I am glad he got cited. Havent a clue what was he thinking about? Cox did shove him but it was not anything serious, you can expect provocations from some teams, especially if you are a fly half, just go on with it, pick yourself up and add a few more 3 pointers on... That hurts more than a cowardly kick.
Posted 13:30 15th January 2013
BackingLeinster says...
Watching the replay of this there's no way i can see O'Gara getting less than 8 weeks. Its quite deliberate (if not too vicous) and sneaky. He's gets a bit of a shove from Cox and does have the cojones to go give him a shove back let alone square up to him. Definitely something you don't want to see in the game.
Posted 12:57 15th January 2013