Munster and Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara is the latest major name to be linked with England 's head coach role after suggesting it's the kind of job he'd "love to have a go" at.
O'Gara—Ireland's highest points-scorer (1,083) and second-most capped player (128) of all time—has been steadily building his coaching CV since retiring in 2013. He spent four years as defence coach with Racing 92 before winning back-to-back Super Rugby titles while on the Crusaders staff in New Zealand (2018-19).
The 45-year-old returned to France to take up his first head coach position with La Rochelle in 2019, helping them reach both the Top 14 and Champions Cup finals last season. Eddie Jones, meanwhile, is expected to step down from his duties as England boss after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with the Australian under pressure following another disappointing Six Nations campaign.
Despite calls for a new appointment before next year's World Cup in France, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has stood behind Jones as the man to lead them into that tournament. Change is expected following the competition, however, and O'Gara gave a glowing review of the potential vacancy.
“Yeah, it would be a great job I think actually,” the former fly-half told BT Sport when asked if the England coaching job would interest him. “Yeah, what a team. I think there’s so much potential there. There’s serious rugby players; serious passion for the game in England. It’s a cracking job, you’d love to have a go off that.”
The comments may frighten some sections of the Ireland and Munster support, whose fans may have hoped the progressive ex-playmaker might be tempted into their backrooms following his time in France. O'Gara's La Rochelle team have courted widespread praise for their heads-up, free-flowing style of play since he took over, mirroring the more open approach Andy Farrell has tried to promote as Ireland chief.
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Jones came in for criticism after England finished fifth at the 2021 Six Nations, their joint-lowest result in the competition's history. They improved to finish third this year despite amassing the same 10-point total, less than half the tally accumulated by Grand Slam champions France (25) and runners-up Ireland (21).
Farrell has himself been touted as a potential candidate to replace Jones next year, which would fit the suggestion that the RFU is seeking an English appointment. It's easy to forget Jones led England to the World Cup final in Japan in 2019, however, and O'Gara feels the 62-year-old still has a lot to offer.
“England will be fine, I think," he told JOE in March. "My view isn’t a popular view – I think Eddie Jones is a very smart coach. Like in most things, you can’t beat experience. I was in the ground, at Yokohama, when England dismantled New Zealand. It was an exhibition of rugby. It was impressive, at pitch level. It stays with me to this day."
O'Gara—a 2009 Grand Slam-winner, two-time Champions Cup-winner and three-time British and Irish Lions tourist—added: “He’s the boss and he structures his team how he wants to, to get them to win a World Cup. From all the evidence of the last 20 years, and with what lies ahead, I think he has a plan. His plan usually works!”
England scored an underwhelming eight tries at this year's Six Nations, with only Wooden Spoon finishers Italy crossing the line on fewer occasions (five). A move for O'Gara would show motivation to address that, with La Rochelle third in the Top 14 and having scored the second-most tries (59) of any team in France so far this term.
One can understand why the England gig would appeal to any coach, backed by a massive player pool and resources to make most unions wince. Likewise, O'Gara is fast becoming one of the most tantalising up-and-comers on the coaching scene, which could set the stage for a match made in heaven in the near future.
