‘Lack of intelligence’ – Ronan O’Gara reveals confrontations with Bath fans after ‘shocking’ performance
La Rochelle boss Ronan O'Gara during the Investec Champions Cup clash against Bath.
La Rochelle boss Ronan O’Gara has revealed that he was confronted by Bath fans during his side’s 24-20 at the Rec in the Investec Champions Cup opener.
Oscar Jegou, Reda Warid and Tawera Kerr-Barlow all crossed for tries as the Top 14 outfit edged the Premiership club to notch up their first victory of the 2024/5 European season.
A fiery figure during his playing days, O’Gara has been just as passionate as a coach too having had multiple run-ins with opposition coaches on the sides in the French top division.
Potty mouth O’Gara
However, on Friday evening it was the fans that the La Rochelle boss upset with several voicing their dismay at his language in the coaches’ box during the Champions Cup match.
One told that the former Ireland and Munster fly-half that “swearing shows a lack of intelligence” and O’Gara offered an apology after being confronted after the match, according to a report by Daily Mail journalist Alex Baywater.
“They (Bath fans) were giving out because our staff’s language wasn’t appropriate,” he explained.
“I was in my bubble, so if my language was off, I apologise. Sometimes you lose some control, but that was a tame night for me! I’m pretty happy.
“We showed great character and resilience. The better team won.”
Post-match reaction
Speaking to Premier Sports after the match, O’Gara said that he was “pretty happy” with the result.
“More than pretty happy (with the result), tomorrow we can look at the content but today was just about winning,” he said.
“And we can look at the content and get better for Bristol. Brilliant first half, shocking second half but the boys showed character because we could have buckled but some young fellas put up their hands.
“I think the better team won tonight.”
Commenting on the first-half performance, he added: “We were very accurate, it is always very pleasing when the big boys construct a maul like that and you score off it. Then bluff them into going off the top and Tawera [Kerr-Barlow] showed exceptional hands to be able to control the ball and run through.”
“21 points in the first half is really good but then we started the second really poorly, backed up errors, discipline, scrum count, lineout struggled a little bit but then we got it back and four points in these conditions is great because you can defend like dogs and we did that really well at the end.”
La Rochelle return home for the second round of action where they will host Bristol Bears.
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