“I don’t care, it’s over. I moved on. I don’t give a shit about him.”
Christophe Urios was still stewing on his side’s late loss to La Rochelle when he was asked about his touchline confrontation with Ronan O’Gara.
The rival coaches clashed on the far touchline of the pitch, as the half-time whistle sounded in the Top 14 game between La Rochelle and home side Bordeaux-Beglès.
La Rochelle, who trailing 12-10, won a crucial breakdown penalty inside their 22 to ensure it was a one score game, heading into the break. O’Gara, who had already annoyed Urios by encroaching the pitch on a couple of occasions, fired a few words at the Bordeaux coach.
Urios approached the former Munster and Ireland star, and some choice comments were traded before a finger was flicked at the face of O’Gara. At that stage, the fourth official broke up the squabbling pair.
Christophe Urios and Ronan O'Gara
⚔️🔥 #UBBSR #TOP14 pic.twitter.com/rpIaXN289c— Ottavio Arenella (@OttavioArenella) April 2, 2022
“This guy is insufferable” – Christophe Urios on Ronan O’Gara
Both Christophe Urios and Ronan O’Gara kept their distance in the second half. Bordeaux looked to have snatched a win top boost their Top 14 title hopes when Maxime Lucu converted a 75th minute penalty.
La Rochelle were not done yet, and piled forward before winning a penalty for Ihaia West to slot over for a 16-15 win. Victory for the Stade Rochelais men saw the climb to third in the table, while Bordeaux dropped to second behind Montpellier.
Asked about the spat with O’Gara, after the match, Urios was unrepentant, and unimpressed with the Cork native. He declared:
“This guy is insufferable. I regret that the fourth official did not do his job.
“How do you get on the pitch and chat to the players? He’s lucky, huh… He goes to the stands, he is shouting and cursing in the stands. He goes to the edge of the pitch, he is shouting and cursing at the edge of the pitch. He is unbearable…
“But I don’t care, it’s over. I moved on. I don’t give a shit about him.”
Christophe Urios may claim he has moved on, but the fixture gods will not let him away with it that easily.
Up next for Bordeaux in the Champions Cup, La Rochelle over two legs in the Last 16. He will be seeing a lot of O’Gara and his players yet.
