Ronan O’Gara hasn’t always endeared himself to all in Welsh rugby, what with his stinging comments from back in the day about the attitude of professional players this side of the River Severn.
“The Welsh have nothing to keep their players at home for they have no pride in the provincial product, O’Gara claimed in 2014. “They’ve achieved nothing in the regions, it’s about the Welsh jersey.
“They enhance their profile by playing with their country, whereas in Ireland, so many of the players are folk idols because of what they have done at provincial level. It’s practically on a par with the international team, which may not be right in some eyes, but the people of Dublin and Leinster and the people in Munster adore those who wear their jersey.”
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You couldn’t imagine too many in dressing rooms across the four regions celebrating such comments.
Anyway, that was then; O’Gara now operates out of France, where he is coach of La Rochelle. He has built a reputation for himself for rugby intelligence and established himself as a sharp-eyed analyst of the game who is prepared to say what’s on his mind without fear.
He is also a vocal touchline presence. Unfortunately, his, err, demonstrative nature doesn’t always please everyone.
And so to Stade Chaban Delmas on Saturday, where Bordeaux-Begles and La Rochelle were locked in a ferocious contest. Just before half-time, O’Gara celebrated an incident a little too vociferously for the taste of his opposite number Christophe Urios. There was a fist pump, while a few choice words appeared to be aimed in the direction of Urios.
The Frenchman turned around and walked across to O’Gara. What we shall term a head-to-head then ensued, amid a verbal exchange which ended with the Bordeaux chief attempting to flick O’Gara around the chin. French website RMC said he tried to ‘slap’ him. O’Gara, the account continued, “skilfully dodged” the said 'slap'.
Perhaps we shouldn't bother ourselves too much with semantics. Whether he’d been the recipient of a flick, a swipe or a slap, O’Gara could then be seen angrily shouting at Urios as the host coach walked away, with a match official stepping in.
All this coming just days after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.
But Urios has form in heated touchline exchanges. Last year, he advised a Clermont Auvergne coach to shut his mouth during another pitchside difference of opinion.
O’Gara’s team went on to win this encounter 16-15. The Irishman is good at getting at under the skin of opponents. Ask Gethin Jenkins, who celebrated his famous try in Wales’ Grand Slam encounter against Ireland in 2005 by throwing the ball at Ireland's No. 10 that day.
But there’s a school of thought that Urios might have to explain himself to disciplinary chiefs after daring to raise a hand to a fellow coach. As for O'Gara, as touched on above, it wasn't the first spat he's been involved in, and it's unlikely to be the last.
