Ronan O'Gara is among the most highly rated coaches in world rugby at the moment.
The Cork man has taken a more roundabout route to his current position, spending time as an assistant in France and New Zealand before taking the top job at La Rochelle. Those experiences have proven invaluable in developing his understanding of the game, with O'Gara leading his current club to a Champions Cup triumph earlier this year.
Of course, speculation has already started as to when he could make the move into the international game.
Many see him as a certainty to coach Ireland at some point, although that position looks unlikely to become vacant in the short-term when you consider the team's current form under Andy Farrell. As a result, he could be open to other opportunities.
Ronan O'Gara admits interest in England job
England is one job that could be available in the not too distant future.
Eddie Jones is coming under increasing pressure in his role as a head coach, with many calling for him to be replaced before the end of the year. Even if he does hang on beyond that point, it is clear that he will be leaving his post after next year's World Cup.
Could Ronan O'Gara be in the frame for that position? Some English journalists were making the case for his appointment earlier this year and the RFU are believed to be monitoring his progress in France.
The man himself admitted back in April that he would 'love a crack' at the position. He has now doubled down on those comments.
Speaking to The Times, Ronan O'Gara said he would 'of course' be interested in the England job should it become available.
Yeah, of course, I would be (interested in the England job). It’s a huge job. There’s probably a lot involved with it, and you’d have to be very firm with what your criteria are and what your role is.
When you strip it all back, essentially you want to be winning games, but you need a strong support network around you to be put in that position.
I would be thorough in my approach, in terms of what country you’d like to coach. There are a handful that jump out straight away.
I’m from Ireland, which would have a special appeal [coaching them]. I would consider long and hard about what country. They’re all different, and they would have different replies.
It’s a professional game, and if one job was to be just the coach for a side at Test level for your own country, I could see that appealing to me, and also concentrating on the club game.
But then you might want to try, if your health allows, to be a veteran Test coach where you could have 20 years at Test level — there are coaches that have done that and done brilliantly.
You'd imagine that the IRFU would see Ronan O'Gara as an ideal candidate to become the next Ireland head coach, although it will be interesting to see if the timing works out for both parties.
As a man in demand, he may not wait around for his home country to come calling.
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