Eddie O’Sullivan: Ronan O’Gara’s disciplinary issues ‘a problem’ as he could cause ‘chaos’ as Ireland head coach
La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara and current Ireland boss Andy Farrell.
Former Ireland head coach Eddie O’Sullivan insists that the IRFU will demand Ronan O’Gara reins it in should he succeed Andy Farrell.
With O’Gara’s La Rochelle visiting Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup this weekend, the former Munster fly-half’s future has been brought up.
The discussion of whether he would return home has been simmering away in the background for the past few years and, with both his and Farrell’s contract ending next year, talk of him succeeding the current Ireland boss will only grow louder.
O’Gara has made no secret of his desire to become an international head coach but his stock has fallen slightly over the past 18 months due to La Rochelle’s mixed form.
He led them to successive Champions Cup triumphs in 2022 and 2023, but they find themselves just outside the play-offs in the Top 14.
O’Gara’s lack of discipline in France
There is also the issue of his disciplinary record which has been pretty abject since taking on the role having received a number of bans for criticising officials.
It is something O’Sullivan believes the IRFU will be wary of should the governing body look for a replacement for Farrell post-2027 Rugby World Cup.
“They (IRFU) would be cautious, that’s the reality. I think his disciplinary record is a problem. What he does in France, he could not possibly consider doing as coach of a national team, it would be chaotic to do that,” he told the Indo Sport podcast.
Equally, O’Sullivan reckons O’Gara would realise that too and, as a result, adjust his approach to make sure he doesn’t bring the game or the organisation into disrepute.
“ROG is a smart guy, he knows well that wouldn’t fly. I don’t think that would take him out of the Irish job. That can be all managed and ROG would understand there would have to be a change of tack there,” he said.
“Also, he’s not going to be on the sideline, he’s going to be stuck up in the stand like every other coach. I don’t think it’s stopping him getting the job.”
O’Gara won’t be the only option for the IRFU if Farrell leaves in 2027 and O’Sullivan predicts they will “back a few horses”.
The Munster legend would almost certainly be one of the favourites for the job but things could very easily change between now and the end of the World Cup.
‘Critical mass’ for O’Gara
“The IRFU have to keep their options open and there’s an element of that. They can’t say: ‘Okay, our next guy in 2027 if Andy goes is ROG’, because you just don’t know.
“ROG could say: ‘Well actually I’ve changed my mind’, or ‘my family situation has changed’, so they’ve got to back a few horses here.
“It will be in their interest to have two or three strong horses ready to come in if Andy Farrell goes. Then they’re in a strong position that if one guy doesn’t work out, another guy comes in.
“What you don’t want is putting your money on the follow-up guy and something goes wrong for him – it could be a personal thing, it could be a rugby thing – and then you go, ‘where are we going to go next?’
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“I think the IRFU are playing their cards close to their chest. If Andy Farrell blows it out of the park in the next World Cup and he wants to stay on, it’s not even a conversation.
“In his (O’Gara’s) own mind, I think he’s ready for it and to hang on for another four years, not that he couldn’t do it but it doesn’t suit him. Four years is a long time as well – it’s getting to critical mass.”
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