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31st January 2024
12:51pm GMT
"If there was a potential opening, I am sure the bosses here, depending on my willingness to show interest in it, would be very open to trying to see me in my best version. My best version might be coaching with Andy Farrell with the Lions. That would be extremely exciting I think. I don’t think reasonable people would put a stop to that."When we pressed O'Gara on possibly working out a deal with Stade Rochelais to do some Lions coaching, in the summer of 2025, we found a man eager to set the story straight.
Guinness, the official sponsors of the Guinness Six Nations, has enlisted Ronan O’Gara to deliver a rousing team talk ahead of Ireland Men’s opening fixture against France. In the video, O'Gara call to the people of Ireland to seize ‘l’opportunité’ and get together with friends at home, in the pub or in the stadium. Guinness is providing fans with the ‘l’opportunité’ to win exclusive prizes, including match tickets and unique match-day experiences as part of the Guinness Giveaway. To enter, simply visit HERE. [/caption]
"That's something that you have to completely rephrase. I have no decision-making capacity, there. No. It has nothing to do with me whatsoever. "It is a decision that is with Andy Farrell, and Andy Farrell has a lot in his play at the minute. I also have a lot of going on, with my kind of coaching ticket. So, it's not a question for me to even go near."O'Gara, given his success as a top-level rugby coach, is often linked with returns to this country, for potential roles with Munster or Ireland. He was also on a three-man shorlist for the England head coach job, but was offered a new contract at La Rochelle and has a clear affinity with the club, and region. "I have a very short-term focus," he said. "I'm not a man for looking into the future. I'm just like - get what you know right, and the rest will look after itself. It is a lovely place to live. It's a fantastic city and I enjoy the club." "Unless we get the short term right," he added, "you get tipped over. So standards have risen, the expectation level is a lot higher than it was two years ago. But that's a compliment, you know." Lions, Six Nations, it is all talk and the focus of other people, insists O'Gara. "We've got a lot of injuries at the minute, we got boys playing Six Nations, so this will be a difficult period. We need to get as many points out of it as possible."
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