Ronan O’Gara angry at losing to ‘average’ Toulouse side in Top 14 final
Ronan O’Gara was despondent after his La Rochelle side succumbed to Toulouse in the Top 14 final on Saturday.
In the French domestic showpiece, O’Gara’s men failed to add that title to their Champions Cup success following a dramatic 29-22 defeat.
La Rochelle led 26-22 with just three minutes remaining and were seemingly in control when Toulouse’s Romain Ntamack received the ball 60 metres out and scored a stunning individual try.
Better team lost
“There was not much difference between the two teams,” O’Gara told reporters after the match. “Maybe it’s okay to say the better team lost.
“I’ve got a great group, but we’re very frustrated … We played an average Toulouse team, who took advantage of our mistakes.
“I don’t agree that it was a great Toulouse side. I could accept defeat if they’d scored four good tries, but that’s not what we saw.”
O’Gara did pay tribute to Ntamack, however, following the fly-half’s excellence late on in the encounter.
“A match lasts 80 minutes,” he said. “I learned when I was a player it’s never over against Toulouse. Unfortunately, tonight, we made some bad decisions at the end.
“Well done to Romain Ntamack for scoring that try. What an athlete, what a player – it was an exceptional try. Score a try like that, and you deserve to win. We weren’t anywhere near our best tonight. Penalties cost us the match.”
“A little robbery”
Toulouse head coach Ugo Mola admitted that they “pulled off a little robbery”, before adding: “We had some good karma.”
Ntamack also revelled in his match-winning try in what was a special moment for both him and the team.
“To score a winning try in the Top 14 final, especially for this club, I don’t even know if I dreamed of it when I was little… In any case, it has become a reality today. I’m super proud and happy. I am also relieved for the club,” he said.
“There’s no better feeling than having all your friends jumping on you, seeing them all crying, hugging each other… We play for those moments.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve cried after a game. All the tension and stress came out all at once.”
READ MORE: WATCH: Romain Ntamack breaks La Rochelle hearts with a 60 metre solo try
