“I most definitely have said yes.”
Ronan O’Gara the Ireland rugby coach. We always suspected this day was coming but perhaps not as soon as this.
The former Munster and Ireland outhalf is four years hung up his rugby boots, he will be throwing on another pair and accompanying it with IRFU emblazoned training gear. O’Gara will join Joe Schmidt and his coaching staff for the first leg of Ireland’s summer tour schedule, in the United States, from June 3.
The Racing 92 defence coach went into detail on his upcoming part in Ireland’s summer tour on the latest episode of The Hard Yards rugby podcast [from 08:45 below].
https://soundcloud.com/thehardyardssportsjoe/episode-10-rog-on-joining-irish-setup-joey-carberys-potential-and-the-art-of-working-a-referee
“I’m going for the American leg of the tour,” said O’Gara.
“Felix Jones is going for the Japanese First Test and Girvan Dempsey is going as well.
“Andy Farrell is going with the Lions I think. They’re down a coach and Ireland are trying to have a look, under the tutelage of Joe Schmidt, to see how he operates and it will be a wonderful learning experience.
“I don’t think there’s any official role, except skills coach and to offer advice to younger players. It will be hugely interesting and I can not wait to get involved.”
O’Gara spoke about the Ireland coaching role on SportsJOE Live and was at his most animated when he spoke about working with ‘the young numbers 10s’.
One of those is set to be Leinster and Ireland youngster Joey Carbery. “His potential is endless and I think he can play anywhere,” said O’Gara. “What from we’ve seen so far, I think he could really excell in a green jersey.”
.@andymcgeady and I delighted to have @RonanOGara10 in for #TheHardYards 10th birthday/episode party
New episode tomorrow morning pic.twitter.com/JNgmbQYYPj— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) April 5, 2017
O’Gara explained that the genesis of the idea, and offer, stemmed from phone chats with Schmidt. He said:
“I’ve been in contact with Joe ever since Johnny Sexton was at the club and I would regularly discuss rugby with him. You could talk to him a few times a week or then you mightn’t talk to him for a number of months.
“But if I was struggling in an area of the game and I needed advice, then he’d be one of the first people I ring to ask his opinion on.
“He watches rugby all around the world so he knows exactly what you would be talking about. He’s interested in the Top 14 as well, so we obviously have James Hart in the club at the minute and Chris Farrell would be in Grenoble. Joe has a big desire to see how his Irish players are faring and the report from the players is very different from the reports in the media.
“I’d be sort of a person on the ground – reviewing and previewing games – so he’d ask you for opinion on one or two things.
“Then, I was obviously keen to see how he operates so if an opportunity came up I said, ‘Joe, if coming into camp for a week was possible I’d be interested.”
It is great to see Schmidt and the IRFU looking to give some promising young coaches a taste of an international rugby tour under one of the most detailed, driven men in the business.
