Ronan John Ross O'Gara (born 7 March 1977) is an Irish former
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
player and current coach. O'Gara played as a fly-half and is
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
's third most-capped player and second highest points scorer. He is currently head coach of
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
in the French
Top 14
The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the National Rugby League (France), France National Rugby League, also ...
.
O'Gara won 128 caps for Ireland, winning three
Triple Crowns and the
Grand Slam in 2009. He also played on three
British & Irish Lions tours, winning two caps. He played for sixteen seasons with
Munster
Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
, with whom he won two
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
s.
O'Gara is the
tenth most-capped and is the
sixth highest points scorer in the history of test rugby. He is also Munster's all-time leading scorer, and holds the
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
record for points and caps. O'Gara scored several match-winning
drop goals for Munster and Ireland, including in the 78th minute of the Wales vs Ireland match in the
2009 Six Nations Championship, in which Ireland won the Grand Slam.
Since his retirement from playing, O'Gara has undertaken a coaching career. O'Gara began coaching in 2013 with French club
Racing 92
Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...
as the club's defence coach before becoming the assistant defence coach of the New Zealand club
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
in 2018. The Crusaders would win two
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...
titles while O'Gara was a member of their coaching team. O'Gara took up his first head coach role in 2019 when he returned to France and was announced as the new coach of
Stade Rochelais. Since taking over as head coach, O'Gara has guided La Rochelle to three
European Cup finals, the second of which in the
2022 final they beat
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
to claim the club's first ever major silverware, with a repeat performance in Dublin in the
2023 final.
Early life
O'Gara was born in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, where his father, Fergal, was working as a post–doctoral fellow in
microbiology
Microbiology () is the branches of science, scientific study of microorganisms, those being of unicellular organism, unicellular (single-celled), multicellular organism, multicellular (consisting of complex cells), or non-cellular life, acellula ...
. His father had also played
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
for the UCG club in
Connacht
Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...
.
His family moved back to
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
when he was six months old.
O'Gara attended Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh primary school, before moving to
Bishopstown Community School where his mother was a teacher. His mother is originally from
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...
. After a year, his parents sent him to
Presentation Brothers College, Cork
Presentation Brothers College (PBC Cork) (; colloquially known as Pres) is a Catholic, boys, private fee-paying secondary school in Cork (city), Cork, Ireland. As of 2020, Presentation Brothers College was ranked as the top boys secondary sc ...
, where he won a
Junior Cup medal in 1992 and a
Senior Cup medal in 1995. It was at Pres where O'Gara first came into contact with
Declan Kidney
Declan Kidney (born 20 October 1959) is an Irish rugby union coach. He was the head coach of the Ireland national rugby union team from 2008 to 2013, where he won the 2009 Six Nations with a Grand Slam, winning the 2009 IRB Coach of the Year a ...
, who was head of rugby at the school. Kidney would later go on to coach O'Gara with both Munster and Ireland.
O'Gara attended
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
and won an All-Ireland Under-20 medal in 1996. He graduated with a B.A. and a master's degree in Business Economics in 1999.
Munster
1997–2007
O'Gara made his Munster debut alongside longtime Munster and Ireland teammate
David Wallace against
Connacht
Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...
in August 1997, scoring 19 points. O'Gara's
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
debut came against
Harlequins in September 1997 in the
1997–98 Heineken Cup. O'Gara kicked 15 points, but Munster lost the game 48–40. He started for Munster in the
2000 Heineken Cup Final, which
Northampton Saints won 8–9, and again in the
2002 Heineken Cup Final, which
Leicester Tigers won 15–9.
O'Gara's last minute conversion against
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
on 18 January 2003 helped Munster to a 27-point victory which took them through to the Heineken Cup quarter final; this match has come to be known in Munster folklore as the ''Miracle Match''. He was part of the Munster team that won the
2002–03 Celtic League, starting and scoring 12 points as Munster beat
Neath
Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...
37–17 in the
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium (), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium () for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it has a retractable roof and is the home of the Wales national rugby union team; it has ...
. O'Gara turned down the chance to join
NFL side
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
in March 2003. He started when Munster beat
Llanelli Scarlets to win the Celtic Cup in May 2005, scoring 17 points in the game.
O'Gara played a key part in Munster's
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
winning team of
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
. O'Gara had an important role in Munster's semi-final victory over rivals
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
by scoring 20 points, including a 77th minute try. On 20 May 2006, O'Gara kicked 13 points in Munster's first
Heineken Cup Final victory over
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; also spelled ; ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. It is a luxu ...
at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
On 22 October 2006, O'Gara kicked a last minute penalty from inside his own half to win Munster a 21–19 victory over
Leicester Tigers in the first round of the pool stages at Welford Road. O'Gara scored 15 points during Munster's win in the
2006–07 Heineken Cup pool game against French side
Bourgoin on 14 January 2007. He kicked 5 points in Munster's quarter-final defeat to
Scarlets
The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...
on 30 March 2007.
2008–2013
On 19 January 2008, O'Gara captained Munster to victory against
Wasps
A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...
in their final pool match of the
2007–08 Heineken Cup, knocking the incumbent champions out and making it through to quarter finals of the cup for the tenth consecutive season. On 24 May 2008, O'Gara won his second Heineken Cup medal as Munster beat
Toulouse
Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
16–13 in the
2008 Heineken Cup Final, with O'Gara scoring 11 points.
O'Gara scored a penalty with three minutes left to beat
Montauban
Montauban (, ; ) is a commune in the southern French department of Tarn-et-Garonne. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse. Montauban is the most populated town in Tarn-et-Garonne, and the sixth most populated of Oc ...
in the first game of the
2008–09 Heineken Cup and the first Heineken Cup game in the new
Thomond Park. On 13 December 2008, O'Gara became the first player to score 1,000 points in the Heineken Cup, when he scored a last minute
conversion against
Clermont.
On 16 May 2010, O'Gara was awarded the ERC European Player Award, crediting him as the player who had made the greatest contribution to European Rugby during the first 15 years of the Heineken Cup. The selection panel consisted of
Sir Ian McGeechan,
Lawrence Dallaglio,
Ieuan Evans,
Fabien Galthié,
Donal Lenihan,
Michael Lynagh
Michael Patrick Thomas Lynagh, (born 25 October 1963) is an Australian former rugby union player who played 66 tests at Fly-half (rugby union), fly-half and six tests at inside centre between 1984 and 1995. Lynagh was Cap (sport), capped 72 time ...
,
Stuart Barnes,
Stephen Jones and Jacques Verdier.
O'Gara crossed the 2,000-point mark for Munster against
Ospreys in a
Celtic League game on 18 September 2010. In November 2010, he extended his contract with Munster and the
IRFU until 2013. He became the fourth Munster player to win 200 caps in a Celtic League game against Ospreys on 23 April 2011. In May 2011, O'Gara was part of the Munster team that beat arch-rivals and newly crowned
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
champions
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
19–9 in the
2011 Magners League Grand Final at
Thomond Park.
On 12 November 2011, O'Gara scored an 84th minute drop-goal after 41 phases of play to secure victory for Munster in their opening
2011–12 Heineken Cup Pool One game against
Northampton Saints. A week later, in Munster's second Pool One game away to
Castres Olympique, O'Gara again scored a match-winning drop-goal, this time in the 81st minute.
On 10 December 2011, O'Gara became only the second player, the first being his Munster colleague
John Hayes, to win 100 caps in the
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
. He achieved the feat in Munster's third pool game, away to
Scarlets
The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...
, which Munster won 14–17, with O'Gara contributing 12 points with his boot. The following week, O'Gara scored 14 points in the home tie against
Scarlets
The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...
, helping Munster to a 19–13 victory. He became the most capped Heineken Cup player ever on 14 January 2012, when Munster played
Castres
Castres (; ''Castras'' in the Languedocian dialect, Languedocian dialect of Occitan language, Occitan) is the sole Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department in the Occitania (adminis ...
in Round 5 of the
2011–12 Heineken Cup, scoring 16 points along the way in a 26–10 win for Munster. In Munster's final pool game against
Northampton Saints, O'Gara scored 24 points as Munster won 51–36. O'Gara announced in March 2012 that he planned to continue playing rugby until he was 38, quashing rumours of his retirement.
On 13 October 2012, O'Gara scored a penalty and conversion before going off injured in the 34th minute in Munster's 22–17 defeat against
Racing Métro 92 in their
2012–13 Heineken Cup The 2012–13 Heineken Cup was the 18th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. The tournament began with two pool matches on 12 October 2012 and ended with t ...
opener. As a result, O'Gara missed Munster's bonus-point victory against
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
in Round 2, but he returned and scored 15 points in Munster's next pool game against
Saracens
file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens
''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...
, which saw Munster scrape a win. He became Munster's most capped player ever on 5 January 2013, when he won his 233rd cap against
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Rugby () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams.
Based in Cardiff, the team play at Cardiff Arms Park. Originally formed in 1876, from 2003 to 2021 the first team was known as the Cardiff Blues before rebranding back ...
. O'Gara was cited and banned for one week after kicking Edinburgh's
Sean Cox in the Heineken Cup round 4 fixture between the two sides, which ruled him out of Munsters 29–6 victory over
Racing Metro which secured qualification from the group stages. He kicked all of Munster's points in their 12–18 Heineken Cup quarter-final victory over
Harlequins on 7 April 2013. O'Gara kicked five points for Munster in their 16–10 Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to
Clermont Auvergne on 27 April 2013.
O'Gara announced his retirement on 18 May 2013, after weeks of speculation.
Ireland
1999–2003
O'Gara won a cap for
Ireland A on 9 April 1999, against
Italy A during a friendly. He was selected in Ireland's preliminary training squad for the
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup () was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship. It was the first Rugby World Cup to be held in the sport's History of rugby union#The professional era, professional era.
Four a ...
, but was not chosen for the tournament, with the Irish management deciding to take two fly-halves and an extra prop instead of three fly-halves. O'Gara was in the Munster team that beat Ireland in a warm-up for the tournament.
O'Gara won his first international cap for Ireland against
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
on 19 February 2000 during the
2000 Six Nations Championship. O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points in their 18–9 win over
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
at Lansdowne Road in the Autumn Tests of 2002. He was a member of Ireland's
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England national rugby union team, England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispu ...
squad, and played in all four Pool matches against
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
,
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, and in the quarter-final loss to
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. In total, O'Gara scored 30 points during his first Rugby World Cup.
2004–2007
O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points in a 17–12 win over
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
at
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road Stadium (, ) was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) that was primarily used for rugby union and association football matches. The stadium was demolished in 2007 to make way for the Aviva Stadium on ...
on 13 November 2004. Two weeks later, on 27 November, O'Gara kicked a last-minute drop goal to give Ireland a 21–19 victory over
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. O'Gara won the
Man of the Match
In team sport, a player of the match award (also known as man of the match or woman of the match) is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chose ...
awards against both South Africa and Argentina. In 2004, he was named
RTÉ Sports Person of the Year. In 2006, he overtook
David Humphreys as Ireland's highest points scorer. In the same season, he won the
Triple Crown with Ireland in the
2006 Six Nations Championship.
On 11 February 2007, O'Gara scored the first Irish international try at
Croke Park
Croke Park (, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and headquarters of the Gaelic At ...
in the
2007 Six Nations Championship loss to France. On 10 March 2007, O'Gara once again scored all of Ireland's points to win the
Triple Crown at
Murrayfield
Murrayfield is an area to the west of Edinburgh city centre in Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and north of Balgreen, Saughtonhall and Roseburn. The A8 road (Scotland), A8 road runs east–west through the south of the area. Murra ...
, beating
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
19–18. On 24 August 2007, in Ireland's final
2007 Rugby World Cup warm-up against
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
at
Ravenhill in
Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
, O'Gara scored and converted a controversial try nine minutes into stoppage time, winning the match 23–20 after Italy had taken the lead with their own stoppage-time try. O'Gara finished the match with 18 points.
O'Gara was a member of Ireland's
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup () was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by F ...
squad. He started all four of Ireland's pool games, against
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, scoring 19 points in total. Ireland failed to make the quarter finals of the tournament. During the tournament, rumours of a breakdown in his marriage and large gambling debts, both denied by O'Gara, were reported by the French media.
2008–2011
On 11 March 2008, O'Gara was named as Ireland team captain for the first time in his career, leading the side in the Six Nations match against England at Twickenham.

On 14 March 2009, O'Gara overtook
Jonny Wilkinson to become the top Six Nations point scorer ever. On 20 March 2009, he scored a late drop goal in the 78th minute to beat Wales and secure for Ireland their first Grand Slam for 61 years. O'Gara started against Australia in the first match of Ireland's
2009 November Series, scoring 10 points. He then lost his place in the starting line-up to
Johnny Sexton and did not play against Fiji or South Africa.
O'Gara regained the fly-half spot in Ireland's opening
2010 Six Nations Championship
The 2010 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2010 RBS 6 Nations due to sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 11th series of the Six Nations Championship and the 116th international championship, an annual rugby union competition b ...
games against Italy and France, but was back on the bench for the remaining three games. He had a 100% kicking record for the 2010 Six Nations. O'Gara was selected in Ireland's squad for their
2010 Summer Tour to New Zealand and Australia, and started against New Zealand, converting 3 tries, but was on the bench for the Australia test. O'Gara became the third Irishman to win 100 caps when he came off the bench during Ireland's first
2010 Autumn Series test against South Africa. He started against Samoa and scored 15 points, including a try. He came off the bench against New Zealand and Argentina.
O'Gara came off the bench against Italy and France in the
2011 Six Nations Championship, and started against Scotland, winning the title of Man of the Match. He started against Wales and became the first Irishman to score over 1,000 points in international matches. He came off the bench against
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, as Ireland prevented them from winning a Grand Slam.
O'Gara was selected in Ireland's squad for the
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup, was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The World Rugby, International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japa ...
. He played in all of Ireland's pool games, coming off the bench against the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, and starting against
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. In the Russia game, he became Ireland's highest points scorer in World Cup matches. He was selected ahead of Johnny Sexton for Ireland's crunch Pool C game against
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, and scored 16 points as Ireland won 36–6. He retained the fly-half jersey for Ireland's quarter-final against
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, scoring a penalty and a conversion as Ireland lost 22–10.
In an interview after Ireland's 15–6 World Cup victory over Australia on 17 September 2011, O'Gara hinted at his possible retirement from international rugby after the conclusion of the World Cup, but subsequently said that his words had been misinterpreted.
2012–2013
In the
2012 Six Nations Championship, O'Gara joined
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside Centre (rugby union), centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster Rugby, Leinster and for Ireland national rugby union te ...
as Ireland's all-time caps leader (with 117) when he came on against Wales on 5 February 2012, during Ireland's opening 2012 Six Nations match. He also became the most capped player in Five/Six Nations history in this game, overtaking fellow Irishman
Mike Gibson's record of 56. O'Gara became Ireland's most capped player against Italy on 25 February 2012, overtaking O'Driscoll's record. O'Gara made substitution appearances in all 5 of Ireland's 2012 Six Nations fixtures, a tournament he described as 'gut-wrenching'.
O'Gara came on as a replacement in all three of Ireland's tests against New Zealand in the
2012 tour. O'Gara won his 125th cap for Ireland on 10 November 2012, as a replacement against South Africa.
In the
2013 Six Nations Championship
The 2013 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2013 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 14th series of the Six Nations Championship, the annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship ...
, O'Gara made his first appearance on 10 February 2013, coming on as a replacement against England. He came off the bench against Scotland in round 3, having lost out on the 10 jersey to
Paddy Jackson after Johnny Sexton's injury against England. This was his last appearance for Ireland. O'Gara was dropped from the Ireland squad for the game against France, and was also left out of the squad for Ireland's final game against Italy, which Ireland lost 22–15, their only ever defeat to Italy in the Six Nations. O'Gara announced his retirement from all rugby on 18 May 2013.
British & Irish Lions
2001
O'Gara received his first Lions selection for the
tour to Australia in 2001. He played in four tour games, against Western Australia,
NSW Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs ( or ;), often referred to as the Waratahs, are an Australian professional rugby union team based in Sydney that represents the majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. The Waratahs play ...
, NSW Country Districts and
ACT Brumbies, scoring 26 points overall. O'Gara was a substitute in the team that played Australia A. In the game against
NSW Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs ( or ;), often referred to as the Waratahs, are an Australian professional rugby union team based in Sydney that represents the majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. The Waratahs play ...
, O'Gara was repeatedly punched by
Duncan McRae, which resulted in O'Gara needing eight stitches around his eye and McRae being sent off and later banned for seven weeks. After the game, then Lions coach
Graham Henry called the match 'a bad day for rugby'.
2005
O'Gara earned his second Lions call-up for the
tour to New Zealand in 2005 On the tour, he played in 6 tour games, against
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty () is a large bight (geography), bight along the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It stretches from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaway in the east. Called ''Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi'' (the Ocean ...
,
New Zealand Maori
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995
* "New" (Daya song), 2017
* "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
,
Otago
Otago (, ; ) is a regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island and administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local go ...
,
Southland,
Manawatu and
Auckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
. O'Gara also earned his first Lions test cap, coming on in the third test defeat as a replacement.
2009
O'Gara was named in the Lions squad for the
2009 tour to South Africa. On 30 May he scored 22 points, including a try, in the opening match of the tour against the
Royal XV, in a 37–25 win. On 10 June, he played against , scoring 12 points as the tourists won 39–3. On 16 June, O'Gara was in the Lions team that defeated
Southern Kings 20–8. On 23 June, he captained the midweek side in a 13–13 draw against the
Emerging Springboks
On 27 June, O'Gara came off the bench in the second test match, winning his second Lions cap. He conceded a seventy-ninth-minute penalty when the score was tied, when he collided with South African scrum-half
Fourie du Preez in the air.
Morné Steyn scored the penalty, and won the match and the series for the Springboks. O'Gara played 5 games in total on the 2009 tour, scoring 49 points.
Retirement
After Munster's semi-final defeat to
ASM Clermont Auvergne in the
2012–13 Heineken Cup The 2012–13 Heineken Cup was the 18th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. The tournament began with two pool matches on 12 October 2012 and ended with t ...
, O'Gara's retirement was confirmed on 18 May 2013.
O'Gara explained his decision to retire: "I have ambitions in the years ahead to coach at a high level and, with this in mind, I can confirm now that I will be joining Racing Métro's coaching staff in July. I am trusting my instinct and it is telling me now is the appropriate time to stop (playing). Had I already decided to retire before the (Heineken Cup semi-final) loss in Montpellier last month? I kind of knew. My lads are gone. My boys in the team are gone." Munster Rugby Chief Executive
Garrett Fitzgerald also paid tribute to O'Gara: "In wishing Ronan the very best in the future, I'd like to acknowledge the immense contribution he has made to Munster Rugby and indeed rugby in general in Ireland over the course of what has been a fabulous career."
Coaching career
O'Gara had been offered a one-year contract extension by Munster, but instead decided to take a coaching role with French club
Racing 92
Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...
.
Starting in July 2013, O'Gara worked primarily as a defence coach with Racing. In 2016 he agreed a contract extension with Racing 92 until 2019. Amongst others, O'Gara coached former
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
teammate Johnny Sexton, who expressed his delight at being able to work alongside his former Ireland rival. In June 2017, O'Gara joined the
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
squad for their one-off test match against the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
as a skills coach.
In November 2017, Racing 92 agreed to release O'Gara early from his contract, so he could join the
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
coaching team in New Zealand. He began as assistant backs coach with the Crusaders on 1 January 2018, and extended his contract for the
2019 Super Rugby season
The 2019 Super Rugby season was the 24th season of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR between teams from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. The 2019 season was the second season using the ...
in June 2018. O'Gara experienced success in his first season in
Christchurch
Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
, with the Crusaders winning a 9th
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...
title, and they defended the title in the
2019 Super Rugby season
The 2019 Super Rugby season was the 24th season of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR between teams from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. The 2019 season was the second season using the ...
, securing a record 10th title with a 19–3 win against Argentinian side
Jaguares in O'Gara's final match as part of the Crusaders coaching staff.
La Rochelle
O'Gara joined French
Top 14
The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the National Rugby League (France), France National Rugby League, also ...
club
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
to replace
Xavier Garbajosa as their new head coach upon the conclusion of his duties with the
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
2019 Super Rugby season
The 2019 Super Rugby season was the 24th season of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR between teams from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. The 2019 season was the second season using the ...
, in time for the
2019–20 Top 14 season.
Jono Gibbes, former
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
forwards coach and
Ulster
Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
head coach, was director of rugby at the club at the time.
Following La Rochelle's 27–16 away win against
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
in the last 16 of the
2020–21 Challenge Cup on 2 April 2021, O'Gara was interviewed post-match by
BT Sport
TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) is a group of pay television sports channels in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery and BT Group, they first launched as B ...
and explained how his rugby philosophy had developed whilst coaching in France and New Zealand, describing how KBA - ''Keep Ball Alive'' - had become intrinsic to his style of play and mindset as a coach. The interview was widely shared and praised by the rugby media. La Rochelle have also been praised for their astute game management and effective defence during O'Gara's tenure at the club.
O'Gara signed a new three-year contract with La Rochelle in April 2021, effective until the end of the 2023–24 season. With the news that director of rugby
Jono Gibbes had joined rival club
Clermont as their new head coach, O'Gara now oversaw the full spectrum of rugby operations at La Rochelle, whilst also continuing his head coach responsibilities.
O'Gara faced an
LNR disciplinary hearing in November 2021 after he failed to properly register his position on La Rochelle's teamsheet for their fixture against
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department.
The Commune of Toulon h ...
, which meant O'Gara was not allowed to be present pitch-side during the game, leading to a disagreement, albeit polite, between O'Gara and the fourth official.
Having lost to rivals
Toulouse
Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
in the
2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
, O'Gara coached
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
to their first major silverware when they defeated
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
24–21 in the
2021–22 Champions Cup final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
on 28 May 2022.
O'Gara was banned for six weeks for disrespecting a match official after La Rochelle's fixture against
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
in September 2022, and he faced another
LNR disciplinary hearing in November 2022 after being cited for alleged comments made towards a match official; O'Gara was subsequently banned for ten weeks and fined €20,000, €5,000 of which was suspended.
O'Gara reunited with his former
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
boss
Scott Robertson to coach the
Barbarians in their fixture against an
All Blacks XV
The All Blacks XV is the second national rugby union team of New Zealand, after the All Blacks. New Zealand's second national team has had numerous names in its history: Junior All Blacks, New Zealand XV, New Zealand A, New Zealand B, All Blacks ...
on 13 November 2022, which the Barbarians won 35–31.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
confirmed in December 2022 that O'Gara had extended his contract with the club until 2027; this followed weeks of speculation that O'Gara was being considered for the
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
head coach position. La Rochelle successfully defended their Champions Cup title during the
2022–23 season, coming from seventeen points down to defeat
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
27–26 in the
Aviva Stadium
Aviva Stadium, also known as Lansdowne Road (, ) or Dublin Arena (during UEFA competitions), is a List of stadiums in Ireland by capacity, sports stadium located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators ...
,
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. This achievement meant La Rochelle became only the 5th team to retain the Champions Cup, after
Leicester Tigers,
Leinster
Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland.
The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
,
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department.
The Commune of Toulon h ...
and
Saracens
file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens
''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...
.
In December 2023, he was given a one-week touchline suspension for his conduct in a defeat to Racing 92. The suspension meant he had to watch La Rochelle's Champions Cup group stage fixture against Leinster from the stands, a game they would go on to lose 16-9 at home. It was La Rochelle's first ever defeat to Leinster in a Champions Cup fixtures. As of December 2023, he has received a cumulative total of 20 weeks in suspensions from the French authorities.
Honours and achievements
Upon his retirement from playing, O'Gara held a number of honours and achievements at both club and international level. At the time, he had played for Ireland more times than any other player in history and had won nine trophies with Munster.
In May 2016, O'Gara was inducted into the
IRUPA Hall of Fame. In September 2018, O'Gara was inducted into the
World Rugby Hall of Fame, becoming the 12th Irish inductee and inductee number 139 overall.
International career by opposition
Correct as of 17 March 2013
* indicates inclusion of caps for
British & Irish Lions
Player
Cork Constitution
*
All-Ireland League:
** Winner (1): 1998–99
*
Munster Senior League:
** Winner (1): 1998
Munster
*
European Rugby Champions Cup:
** Winner (2):
2005–06,
2007–08
*
United Rugby Championship
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...
:
** Winner (3):
2002–03,
2008–09,
2010–11
*
Celtic Cup:
** Winner (1): 2004–05
*
Irish Interprovincial Rugby Championship
The IRFU Interprovincial Championship was a rugby union competition between the four provinces of Ireland – Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht – and, for a brief period the Irish Exiles, run by the Irish Rugby Football Union.
History
Or ...
:
** Winner (3): 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01
Ireland
*
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship (known as the Six Nations, branded as Guinness M6N) is an annual international rugby union competition by the teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. It is the oldest sports tournament conte ...
:
** Winner (1):
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
*
Grand Slam:
** Winner (1):
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
*
Triple Crown:
** Winner (4):
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
,
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
,
2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
,
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
Individual
European Player of the Year - Winner - 2010 - Best Player of last 15 Seasons
*
British & Irish Lions:
** Tourist (3):
2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
,
2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
,
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
Coach
Racing 92
*
Top 14
The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the National Rugby League (France), France National Rugby League, also ...
:
**Winner (1):
2015–16
Crusaders
*
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...
:
**Winner (2):
2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
,
2019
This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year.
Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
La Rochelle
*
European Champions Cup:
**Winner (2):
2021–22,
2022–23
**Runner-up (1):
2020–21
Personal life
On 6 July 2006, O'Gara married his longtime girlfriend Jessica Daly. They have five children – twins, a boy and a girl named Rua and Molly, born in 2008, and three more sons – JJ, born in 2010, Zak, born in 2012 and Max, born in 2014.
On 9 October 2008, he published ''Ronan O'Gara: My Autobiography'', co-written by Denis Walsh, chief sports-writer with the Irish edition of ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
''. An updated version of his autobiography was released in 2009, after Ireland's Grand Slam success. O'Gara released a second autobiography in November 2013, titled ''Ronan O'Gara: Unguarded''. On 2 January 2014, a new behind-the-scenes documentary called "ROG – The Ronan O’Gara Documentary" aired on
RTÉ One.
In December 2012,
Joan Collins named O'Gara under Dáil privilege as being among those to benefit from having their penalty points cancelled by gardaí.
On 24 October 2013, a testimonial dinner to honour O'Gara was held at Cork's
City Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
, with around 850 guests paying €300 per ticket to charity. On 11 May 2017, at a ceremony held in Cork City Hall, O'Gara was awarded the Freedom of Cork City.
References
Further reading
* O'Gara, R, (2008) ''Ronan O'Gara: My Autobiography'', Transworld Ireland
* O'Gara, R, (2013) ''Ronan O'Gara: Unguarded'', Transworld Ireland
External links
Munster profileIreland profileBritish & Lions profile*
Pro14 profile*
*
DG against NorthamptonDG against CastresROG vs Wales 2009
{{DEFAULTSORT:OGara, Ronan
1977 births
Living people
Rugby union players from San Diego
Rugby union players from County Cork
People educated at Presentation Brothers College, Cork
Alumni of University College Cork
Irish rugby union coaches
Irish rugby union players
University College Cork RFC players
Cork Constitution players
Munster Rugby players
Munster Rugby captains
Ireland Wolfhounds international rugby union players
Ireland international rugby union players
Ireland national rugby union team captains
British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland
Racing 92 coaches
RTÉ Sports Person of the Year winners
World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees
Irish expatriate sportspeople in France
2003 Rugby World Cup players
2007 Rugby World Cup players
2011 Rugby World Cup players
Rugby union fly-halves
Expatriate rugby union coaches