Ronan O'Gara has hinted that he would be interested in taking over from Fabien Galthié should the France head coach vacate his role.
Corkman O'Gara has enjoyed a brilliantly successful spell in charge of La Rochelle since 2019, bringing the small French side's first-ever silverware with extraordinary back-to-back Champions Cup final triumphs over Leinster in 2022 and 2023.
Though La Rochelle have somewhat returned to form in the Top 14 after a shaky start, Leinster ruthlessly dispatched of them in the Champions Cup quarter-finals, meaning the trophy will not be returning to the French coast for a third consecutive year.
Despite the European disappointment this season, there is no doubt that O'Gara remains immensely popular in the city, and his stock as a leading head coach in world rugby has risen dramatically in recent years.
That has, of course, put him in high demand for the world's biggest teams, and hopes remain high among large sections of Irish fans that ROG will one day return to take charge of either Munster or Ireland. For his part, O'Gara has seemed relatively cool on any potential links to Munster, though he has previously stated that coaching his country would be the "ultimate" honour.
All of which makes it somewhat surprising that the Corkonian this week appeared to leave the door open to a future role with the French national team.
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Ronan O'Gara teases interest in top job with France
13 April 2024; Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber, left, and La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara shake hands before the Investec Champions Cup quarter-final match between Leinster and La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Appearing on the Super Moscato Show on RMC Radio this week (showing off his ubiquitous Corkonian-French blend of français), Ronan O'Gara was asked about the prospect of taking on the Ireland job should Andy Farrell depart after the 2027 World Cup.
O'Gara then dropped the French job into the mix, saying that he was interested in winning trophies at international level no matter the team. He did, however, clarify that he had no interest in taking any role other than head coach.
I'd like to win a World Cup. I dream of winning things, whether that's with Ireland or France. I like it.
Be a member of staff? I don't think so. When you've had a taste of the number one position, of those responsibilities, it's difficult.
With O'Gara one of the leading coaches in club rugby, and France one of the leading sides in the world, it's a match that makes sense on paper - though Les Bleus have never had a non-French head coach.
This is the first time O'Gara has linked himself with the French job, after previous comments about the potential of one day taking charge of England.
In late 2022, in the dying days of Eddie Jones' reign as England coach, several UK publications suggested O'Gara should take over. The Ireland legend publicly stated his interest in one day taking the job, saying:
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.
France's quarter-final exit from last year's World Cup was received in a manner akin to a national scandal by the French public, and their lacklustre performances in the recent Six Nations did little to quell any disquiet about the current coaching regime.
Head coach Fabien Galthié's contract runs until the next World Cup but, should the poor performances continue, perhaps the FFR will look elsewhere. They could certainly do much worse than looking into Ronan O'Gara's availability.
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