Back in April, Ronan O’Gara was reflecting on Munster’s journey to the Champions Cup semi final and took time out to praise one of their lesser lauded wingers.
Ronan O’Mahony had missed the quarter final victory over Toulouse but he had a strike rate of a try every two games last season and impressed the Racing 92 coach.
“For people outside the province,” O’Gara said, “they might not be aware of how good this guy is but I’m fully convinced he’ll play for Ireland.”
O’Gara ended up travelling to the United States with Ireland, as part of their coaching staff, but O’Mahony missed out on selection to the summer tour. A fractured leg, picked up in a win over Treviso, ended his season and any hopes the 28-year-old may have had of a Test debut.
O’Mahony will be hoping to kick on in terms of starts and contributions in big games and O’Gara told The Hard Yards [from 1:01:45] that he is in no doubts of his potential to make an international breakthrough.
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After Ian Madigan and Kevin McLaughlin respectively talked up Leinster youngsters Billy Dardis and Jordan Larmour, O’Gara represented for his old province. He said:
“The guy I would suggest for this season, that may make the breakthrough, would be Ronan O’Mahony.
“With his age profile he is over 25 but in terms of the uncapped ones to watch brigade, I would definitely put him forward. I think he can offer something gearing towards the World Cup. I know the back three is an incredibly competitive area but I’d watch out for him, big time.”
Bear in mind, O’Gara did tip both Niall and Rory Scannell to make the breakthrough for Ireland last season and the Munster brothers both did just that.
His other call – Sean Cronin as a Lions bolter – did not quite pan out but ‘Nugget’ would have certainly ruffled some Kiwi feathers had he been selected to travel to New Zealand.
