Ronan O’Gara was a seasoned Munster veteran when he made his Ireland debut in 2000.
Weirdly it is actually 16 years ago today, as was remembered by Peter Stringer earlier on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BB-GWrCBt37/
O’Gara had served his apprenticeship with his province at the time, and we’re sure he’d admit that he still had lots to learn, even at 22.
O’Gara used his international platform to cement his place with Munster, and later that season he’d play in his first Heineken Cup final.
So it’s a bit of a surprise that he is very much against the idea of Joe Schmidt stumping for youth next week in Twickenham as Ireland face England in their third Six Nations game.
Schmidt has been hit with a further injury blow this afternoon, with Mike McCarthy ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.
Garry Ringrose is among a number of players that fans have been calling on to be given a chance on the international stage, but O’Gara is warning against fast tracking him to the very top in his Irish Examiner column.
The former out-half feels that people basing Ringrose’s suitability for international rugby off some domestic games are unaware what the youngster will face.
“When the the likes of Ringrose comes through, there is a duty of care to the lad to ensure he is an international for a decade — not the three or four games it might take to destroy him in the wrong circumstances.
“I’d like to think I follow a lot of rugby, and I’ve seen him play perhaps six competitive games. Two of them were PRO 12 games. International standard is a level or two above Champions Cup, so the notion he is ready to face England next week is fanciful at best, irresponsible at worst.
“There are no greenhorns playing international rugby. There are many playing domestic or PRO 12 League, and there are a few even playing Champions Cup, but there are none at international level among the world’s top eight countries. Rugby against the Dragons is light years away from rugby against Wales. It’s like a different sport.”
The Corkman feels that Ireland lacked leadership at key moments last week in the narrow loss to France, and perhaps a better option for Schmidt will be to reintegrate some of his injured senior stars rather than turning to youth.
“Stuart McCloskey is physically more robust than Ringrose and has nice hands, but surely Simon Zebo and Keith Earls will come straight back into the team against England.”
