Ronan O’Gara in TMO rant after Murrayfield controversy and attacks ‘shameful’ La Rochelle display
Former Ireland fly-half, and current La Rochelle head coach, Ronan O'Gara in 2023.
Ronan O’Gara has unleashed a stinging attack on his team – and the television match official – after they were beaten once again in the Top 14.
La Rochelle succumbed 28-17 to Lyon on Saturday in what was their eighth defeat in 15 league matches.
O’Gara’s men currently reside in ninth position in the table in what has been a frustrating campaign for the two-time Champions Cup winners.
They are only one point behind the top-six but the squad have yet to find their rhythm in 2023/24 and their head coach is frustrated by what they are producing.
TMO call
The Ireland legend was also angered by a decision which went against his team when prop Joel Sclavi was denied a try.
O’Gara referenced the Six Nations clash between Scotland and France last weekend when the hosts had a match-winning score disallowed.
“Despite all our weaknesses, we were not helped. We saw the role of the TMO at Murrayfield last week,” he told reporters.
“There, we scored a try by Joel Sclavi but we did not get the call. For what? When do we call him? When we want? And as luck would have it, it falls on the away team…”
However, O’Gara’s main criticism was with the players, who he felt had their minds elsewhere throughout the week.
“I can’t be disappointed because I saw how we trained,” he said with a hint of sarcasm. “This week, the players were more focused on real estate prices on the Ile de Ré than on the field.”
“It depends on what you want in life. If you want to be rich in apartments or houses, or rich with medals. So no, I’m not disappointed or surprised.”
La Rochelle’s head coach did not stop there and attacked his team for their performance against Lyon.
Shameful and horrible
“We weren’t good at anything. Neither in possession, nor in desire, nor in vision, nor in execution… It’s a dark day for the club,” he added.
“It’s too easy to say that there are absentees. For me, that doesn’t explain this horrible, almost catastrophic performance.
“With all the respect I have for their club, Lou (Lyon) was dying in front of us at 14-3, and we are not capable of killing this match. It’s serious, but it’s exactly a reflection of what happened in training.
“I’m not surprised, I’m disappointed. The message is not getting through. The young (Louis Keziah) Penverne and (Oscar) Jégou were the most efficient in terms of aggressiveness. The rest…
“If I can give a solution after this, I’m a genius. This is not my vision of how to represent your club on Saturday afternoon. We were not a club that respects its supporters, its family… It was quite shameful.”
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