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The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Irish rugby legend Ronan O'Gara gets POOED ON live on Sky Sports after Lions' epic comeback win over Australia
RONAN O'GARA was given an unwelcome gift by a bird while LIVE on air. Irish rugby legend O'Gara was working as a pundit for Sky Sports during the British and Irish Lions clash with Australia earlier today. 5 5 5 5 5 However, a winged viewer flying by decided that the 48-year-old's coat needed some extra decoration. And while he stood alongside colleagues discussing Hugo Keenan's last-gasp winning try, Will Greenwood spotted that O'Gara had been POOED on. He said: "Oh a bird has just pooed on Ronan." The group then shared a laugh at O'Gara's expense as he frantically tried to find where Greenwood had pointed it out. A voice can then be heard saying: "That's lucky for some but not for Ronan." Fans behind the panel also poked fun at O'Gara for the unfortunate incident. Greenwood then adds: "La Rochelle are going to win the European Cup." O'Gara eventually laughs off the incident, though we expect his coat to receive some TLC to remove the poo. And while the unusual present might not be seen as too lucky by O'Gara, the Lions certainly did find some luck in their match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They moved 2-0 over Australia in the series, but only after coming back from 26-17 down in the 53rd minute. Keenan's late winner has now set the scene for a potential clean sweep when the sides clash again at the weekend.
Times
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Times
Tadhg Beirne shows why he is Andy Farrell's prize poacher
S ky Sports are on to a winner with Dan Biggar and Ronan O'Gara. The two former fly halves have a natural rapport yet their easy banter never gets in the way of some searing insights. On one occasion yesterday, however, the TV execs must have been cursing Biggar for his honesty. As the Test match limped towards a conclusion, the Welshman admitted: 'It just feels a little bit flat, doesn't it? It doesn't feel like the end of a first Test at Suncorp at the beginning of a huge series.' It was left to others to scramble for reasons why the series might hold our attention for the next fortnight. Will Skelton and Rob Valetini may be ready for Melbourne. The Wallabies are wounded. They will be better next week. And so on.
Irish Times
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Ireland break scoring records as they pass the 100-point mark against Portugal
Summer Tour: Portugal 7 Ireland 106 A rout, plain and simple that doesn't serve any greater purpose from an Ireland perspective than ticking off milestones in terms of debuts, points and try-scoring feats. The only consolation was the majority of the Portuguese supporters had streamed away before a penalty try at the death took the visitors over the 100-point mark. The Irish records tumbled: most tries, 16 and most conversions in a match, Jack Crowley landed 12, breaking Ronan O'Gara's 10 against Japan in 2000. It was the most points scored by an Ireland team and they also eclipsed the previous biggest winning margin, an 83-3 victory over the USA in New Hampshire in 2000. All three debutants, Hugh Gavin (two), Shayne Bolton (two) and Alex Kendellen scored tries. Gavin and Bolton were excellent, particularly the young 21-year-old centre in terms of his carrying game. Ireland did as they pleased for the most part. The back three were sharp, the halfbacks put pace and width on the game and the pack, with Ryan Baird again in the van, gave their backs a perfect platform. This all must be said in the context of a game in which Portugal contributed massively to their downfall. Tommy O'Brien (two), Bolton (two), Gavin (two), Cian Prendergast (two), Stuart McCloskey, Thomas Clarkson, Craig Casey, Calvin Nash, Ciarán Frawley, Kendellen and a penalty try contributed 16 tries, Crowley 12 conversions and one that accompanies a penalty try. READ MORE The atmosphere from the get-go was one of gentle distraction, the decibel levels didn't rise one iota when the teams emerged on to the pitch, or when tries were scored. The chattering continued in the stands, Irish supporters understood that anything more than polite applause would seem a little crass in the context of the game. Portugal would have spoken about the need to be accurate and composed in the opening throes of the contest, to try and thwart Ireland for as long as possible. They gave up a try after 45-seconds to McCloskey and three more before some of the crowd had a chance to get their bearings and take their seats in a sun-drenched stadium. Portugal's Hugo Camacho takes a box kick during the game against Ireland. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho McCloskey's try was the product of good work by Bolton and Crowley's neatly judged grubber kick. Gavin's try was down to running a good line and a nice flat pass from his outhalf. Jimmy O'Brien was the architect of the third, a lovely break and perfect timing of the pass allowed Tommy O'Brien to outpace the cover. The fourth went to Bolton after he caught a high ball, fobbed off a couple of limp tackles and accelerated over under the posts. Crowley converted all four and also saved his side by winning a race to a kick through inside his 22 and demonstrated lovely poise to pick up and clear in the same fluid movement. Portuguese fullback Nuno Sousa Guedes had a smartly-taken try disallowed for forward pass, and the home side lost their captain Tomás Appleton to a leg injury. Portugal's head coach Simon Mannix asked one of his players to draw the referee Adam Leal's attention to a croc-roll but the comms to the TMO, Matteo Liperini, had stopped working. They did manage to relay a message and confirm that there was no foul play. Tommy O'Brien got his second of the match and fourth on the summer tour, before Clarkson crossed for a first Irish try on his eighth appearance, with Gavin doing the legwork. Crowley continued to be faultless from the tee. Portugal compounded their misery with loose kicking, gifting Ireland possession, but the visitors, too, were guilty of some sloppy moments in their handling, kicking and tackling. Gavin was again prominent with a build-up in the seventh try after Tom Ahern turned over ball. Casey's decision to kick didn't look the right one but Bolton's pace turned it into one as the ball stopped rolling kindly in the in-goal area. Crowley missed for a first time from the touchline but had an altogether easier time when Gavin grabbed a second try, after a maul and powerful surge from hooker Gus McCarthy. Ireland's Shayne Bolton scores his side's seventh try. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho When the dust settled, Ireland led 54-0 at half-time, eight tries, seven conversions. It was brutal for the home side who also lost two players to injury. They'd have to take some culpability for the scoreline, kicking ball away, which was especially clueless given that their back three Nuno Sousa Guedes, Simao Bento and Manuel Pinto were dangerous, even off scraps. The second half started in similar fashion, Bolton's break finished off by Casey and Crowley converted. The points tally like the temperature was soon going to be in the 80s, and the potential for records to tumble. They did before the 60th minute as Ireland eclipsed the 83 points they scored against the USA in 2000. To reach that mark, Nash, Frawley and Prendergast's second, added to Ireland's try tally, Crowley tagging on two conversions. Portugal did break their duck in the midst of the avalanche of green points, with a try from their best player Nicolas Martins, converted by Hugo Aubry. When Kendellen scored, it ensured a record points tally. Ben Murphy and a penalty try brought Ireland's tally to 106 points. SCORING SEQUENCE – 1 min: McCloskey try, Crowley conn, 0-7; 8: Gavin try, Crowley con, 0-14; 9: T O'Brien try, Crowley con, 0-21; 11: Bolton try, Crowley con, 0-28; 22: T O'Brien try, Cowley con, 0-35; 29: Clarkson try, Crowley con, 0-42; 33: Bolton try, 0-47; 38: Gavin try, Crowley con, 0-54. Half-time: 0-54 . 41: Casey try, Crowley con; 0-61; 51: Prendergast try, 0-66; 52: Martins try, Aubry con, 7-66; 55: Nash try, 7-71; 56: Frawley try, Crowley con, 7-78; 58: Prendergast try, Crowley con, 7-85; 70: Kendellen try, Crowley con, 7-92; 76: Murphy try, Crowley con, 7-99; 80 (+1): penalty try 7-106. PORTUGAL: N Sousa Guedes; S Bento; V Pinto, T Appleton, M C Pinto; H Aubry, H Camacho; D Costa, L Begic, D H Ferreira; A R Andrade, P Ferreira; D Wallis, N Martins, D Pinheiro. Replacements: G Aviragnet for Appleton (20 mins); F Almeida for Aviragnet (32); F Almeida for Andrade, A Cunha for Begic, P S Lopes for Costa (all 50 mins); A Campos for Camacho (54); M Souto for Costa (55); G Costa for DH Ferreira (56); Andrade for P Ferreira (59); V Baptista for Pinheiro (62). IRELAND: J O'Brien (Leinster); T O'Brien (Leinster), H Gavin (Connacht), S McCloskey (Bangor), S Bolton (Connacht); J Crowley (Munster), C Casey (Munster, capt); J Boyle (Leinster), G McCarthy (Leinster), T Clarkson (Leinster); T Ahern (Munster), D Murray (Connacht); R Baird (Leinster), A Kendellen (Munster), C Prendergast (Connacht). Replacements: T Stewart (Ulster) for McCarthy, M Milne (Munster) for Boyle, T O'Toole (Ulster) for Clarkson, M Deegan (Leinster) for Baird (all 50 mins); C Frawley (Leinster) for McCloskey, C Nash (Munster) for T O'Brien (both 52); C Izuchukwu (Ulster) for Murray (59); B Murphy (Connacht) for Casey (60). Referee: A Leal (England).
Irish Times
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Ronan O'Gara: ‘I think this tour is about the Lions being the best version of themselves'
When Ronan O'Gara landed in Brisbane on Wednesday of last week after his economy class, long-haul trek from La Rochelle, he was caught by surprise. He'd presumed that, as usual, he would be doing prematch, half-time and post-match punditry on Sky Sports' coverage of the Reds- Lions match. But, instead, he was to be co-commentator alongside Miles Harrison and Dan Biggar. In his various stints as a TV pundit, he'd never been a co-commentator before and he was also jet-lagged and whacked. But, 'infused with coffee', he actually found co-commentary 'way better', 'more challenging' and that 'it comes out naturally'. And besides, the more of ROG, the better. Former outhalves generally see the game and impart more information about a match than most other retired players, and certainly the O'Gara-Biggar double act has raised the bar. O'Gara describes Biggar as 'extremely impressive for a guy who's just retired. No grieving period. A lot of players, I think, struggle retiring. They're so well treated in Ireland. And then it's an awful bang. It's a massive fall off a cliff, although it's different from my time. A lot of guys nowadays are prepared for what's coming next. READ MORE 'But the player has to accept that he's not a star asset any more. He's retired. They won't be falling over you. That's what happens when you retire. Be very grateful for what you have but your time is over. There's a business to the sport as well. The show must go on. It's on to the next kid now.' O'Gara, who travelled back to La Rochelle on Thursday, revealed an ulterior motive for his eight-day trek through Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide for the Lions' matches against the Reds, the Waratahs and the Brumbies. 'It's built around getting to see coaches when I'm here,' he says. His passion for the game and coaching La Rochelle remains undimmed. He's just had his most trying season as a coach, when a winless nine-game run was arrested by five victories in a row only for a last-day loss in Pau to deny them a play-off place by one point. But it's made him even hungrier for next season's rebuild and twin assault on a first Bouclier de Brennus and third Champions Cup under his watch. Their preseason begins on Monday and although players will make a scattered return, critically his key men will have a proper preseason. Dan Biggar and Ronan O'Gara providing punditry at the Queensland Reds vs British & Irish Lions match at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane on July 2nd. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho He spent time with the Canberra Raiders Rugby League team on Monday, with the Brumbies on Tuesday and on Wednesday caught up with Stephen Larkham. Munster will 'always be home' and O'Gara was fascinated to hear Larkham's thoughts on his three years there. Larkham revealed that, due to the northern hemisphere winter, his time at Munster taught him more about game management, and the pair discussed at length whether to play with the wind in the first or second period. 'The French love taking the wind and imposing, while I'd always be of the mentality that it takes maybe 20 minutes to find the rhythm and so play into the wind and have it at your back coming home, because of the way I could manage a game. But he thinks about that long and hard. It was just good to chat because he's someone that I obviously played against and himself and [George] Gregan were special. Yeah, very special.' O'Gara's sense of anticipation about the forthcoming series is heightened by his huge admiration of Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt, although he doesn't seem to envy the former's challenge in building a team from scratch. 'There was a gulf in class last night,' he says of the Lions' 36-24 win over the Brumbies on Wednesday. 'But that wasn't evident on the scoreboard, and it's something that the Lions have to get better at. You look at the raw ingredients and there's massive talent in one team. But it's tough, I would think, coaching that team.' 'It's still a big show, the Lions,' he says, 'but I think they just have to be careful that it just doesn't become elite. The cost is very expensive. Rugby needs an audience. It shouldn't just be if you have a big salary.' This is a particularly telling point as the availability of tickets for all three Tests, returned from Britain & Ireland and too expensive for Australians to snap up, suggests that the series has been overhyped by the Lions' machine and that supporters of both teams have been turned off by overpriced ticketing, hotels and travel. [ Tadhg Beirne to lead the Lions in final warm-up game before Test series Opens in new window ] O'Gara notes there was more 'Li-ons' chanting at warm-up games on the three tours he undertook as a player to Australia in 2001, New Zealand in 2005 and South Africa in 2009. 'I hear it's very expensive to travel over and even getting tickets over here.' O'Gara's fourth game on the '01 tour was the win over the Brumbies when he declined to assume the placekicking duties from Matt Dawson. The latter publicly expressed his gratitude after landing his redemptory match-winning conversion days after incurring the wrath of Graham Henry and Donal Lenihan for his public critique of the tour in a newspaper diary. O'Gara wanted Dawson to retain the placekicking because, as one himself, he'd hate to have had it taken away from him. 'There's nothing worse in life than handing the kicking tee to someone. You may as well take away your genitals as a man. That's your DNA. That's why there's kickers and there's pressure kickers. I think I can happily say I fall into the pressure kickers category, not at that stage but over my career. And that's a very select group because pressure hits rarely. And at the start of my career, I wasn't able for it. But at the end of my career, I nearly needed it,' he says, adding how he tried to pass on his experience to Richie Mo'unga, not without disagreements between the two, while assistant coach at the Crusaders. Waratahs' Duncan McRae and Ronan O'Gara of the British Lions clash during the tour match in Sydney in June 2001. Photograph: Adam Pretty/Allsport/Getty Images Alas, O'Gara's '01 tour will always be remembered for that vicious flurry of punches by Duncan McRae in the Waratahs match. 'I have no problem talking about any of that. It's weird because the kids saw it at home – now you can get everything on YouTube – and they were like: 'Dad, why didn't you hit him back?'' he recalls, laughing. 'I said, I don't know, I ask myself the same question.' He adds: 'There's loads of moments that you'd like to change, but they shape you.' O'Gara will always have regrets about conceding the penalty which Morné Steyn landed in the second Test to seal the 2009 series. 'But one thing which, with hindsight, I'm proud of is that it never came into my head to kick the ball out for a drawn series. I would just never be like that as a player or as a coach. You go for it. And I've been lucky and I got a massive return with that in coaching and playing. 'To kick it out? No. But to contest it in the air you need to be smarter. It was a stupid decision to play a guy in the air. And you wish you could change that. I kicked it well, because even I could get under it,' he notes, ironically. 'But that's what happens in live sport and the big regret is that it was Paulie's team and Paulie's a great mate, and it meant so much. You hate letting down guys that you like and respect.' O'Gara describes the New Zealand of 2005 as the best All Blacks side ever, 'and the best performance by a 10 was in Wellington', he adds in reference to Dan Carter's virtuoso 33-point haul in the second Test. 'He redefined outhalf play, even to this day; kicking, running, a tactical masterclass.' Dan Carter helping the All Blacks to a 3-0 series victory against the Lions in 2005. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho By the time of his third Lions tour O'Gara had won the Heineken Cup in '06 and '08, and the Grand Slam in '09, but was aware that Stephen Jones was Warren Gatland's Welsh outhalf. 'I get it as a coach now. He gave the keys of the 'camion', as they say in France, because he had more familiarity as a coach with his 10.' As for the Lions of 2025, O'Gara says: 'They haven't hit their straps or close to it yet. All the pieces of the jigsaw aren't fitting together and that takes time. They're very good players but the difficult task is putting them together.' He cites the concession of the Brumbies' last try when the Lions were outnumbered on the blindside of a scrum as an example. And another when Tadhg Furlong sprinted off the line off turnover ball, because that's how he's coached by Jacques Nienaber, but team-mates 'jockeyed', or stayed connected. 'He's expecting his team-mates in blue to do the exact same, and you leave the outside, which is admirable. But when half do one thing and half do the other, that's when problems come. And that's exactly what's happening with players from different countries because they're not robots. To detrain takes 21 days, minimum, to get back to neutral.' [ Lions fail to land statement win against Brumbies but positives outweigh negatives Opens in new window ] It's the same with the ball when trying to 'stay in the flow' or 'stay in motion', he adds. 'It's putting aside everyone's egos to put the team first.' But he's in no doubt that this team has the potential to click. Furthermore, Noah Lolesio is a 'massive' loss to the Wallabies as he was Schmidt's 'go-to man' at outhalf, while O'Gara believes that Finn Russell has progressed his game. 'He's added a game management side to his game; it's not just all play, play, play. He's rewarding his forwards, giving them five-metre lineouts. That's big.' He's also genuinely in awe of Jamison Gibson-Park's all-round game, tempo and decision-making. Still, O'Gara says a Wallabies team strengthened by his own Will Skelton, Rob Valetini and Jake Gordon has to be respected, and also one coached by Schmidt. Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt before the international Test match between Australia and Fiji in Newcastle, Australia on July 6th. Photograph:'I think he's on his own in his capacity to pick holes in the opposition. That's a fantastic skill. I haven't got to that stage of my career yet. If you're playing 35 games a year with 40 players, I need to get 'us' right, but in the Test game, you have to do that.' Cue O'Gara's own Lions team choice for the first Test. 'I'd finish with Porter, Sheehan and Furlong, with Genge, Kelleher and Stuart to start. Itoje will start with McCarthy, and I'd go Beirne, Conan and Van der Flier, then Gibson-Park, Russell, Aki-Ringrose, Lowe, Freeman and Keenan.' But for Blair Kinghorn's injury, O'Gara would have considered a 7-1 bench split, given the Toulouse player can cover outhalf. 'I would still have a massive impact bench. I would go 6-2. As well as Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, I'd have James Ryan, Pollock and Earl, and then Mitchell and Owen Farrell. Tactically I'm very happy with the backs. The only change would be for an injury. But Pollock against a tiring defence and Earl, after Conan has done the donkey work, could do real damage.' Building a lineout, O'Gara believes, requires Beirne while 'McCarthy will hop off Will [Skelton], which will be interesting. Ollie Chessum is in form but you can only pick 23 and Beirne's capacity to pick his moment is a point of difference. But people don't appreciate that this is very, very difficult for Andy Farrell.' Yet, in conclusion, O'Gara still maintains: 'There's no doubt the Lions should win. It's not Australia from 20 years ago. They're eighth in the world. I think it would be very different touring South Africa or New Zealand, and you have to say that. 'But there's huge excitement in anticipation of this series and I think this tour is about the Lions being the best version of themselves. That's what people at home want to see.'
Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kangaroo leaves Ronan O'Gara speechless as never-ending Lions tour trundles on
Day 4,782, or thereabouts, of the Lions tour and while there hasn't been a great deal of spice in it so far, Sky's Alex Payne reminded us of bygone days when there was no end of it. 'Austin Healey called you a plod, a plank and an ape back in 2001,' he said to Justin Harrison as he warmly welcomed him to their coverage, Ronan O'Gara's neck straining to see the reaction of the 6ft 8in former Australian international who was standing beside him pitchside in Canberra. 'Austin and I have had a love affair for a long time,' said Justin. 'He is hard to ignore but it's worth the effort. He's not my favourite human in the world, but good luck to him.' He had, then, put 24-year-old ape-gate behind him, a spell in his life, he once recalled, when his team-mates habitually left bananas outside his bedroom door. [ Lions fail to land statement win against Brumbies but positives outweigh negatives Opens in new window ] [ Lions player ratings: Garry Ringrose does his Test chances no harm with strong outing Opens in new window ] On to 2025 and there was, not to be too parochial, a decidedly green tinge to the Lions' latest outing – eight Irish starters, four more on the bench, and a Brumbies side that featured two Lonergans, an O'Donnell, a Toole (who lost the O in Botany Bay), a Shaw and a Declan, Rory and Liam. It's a wonder they didn't play Amhrán na bhFiann before the game. READ MORE What they did play, quite a bit, was music of the heavy metal kind which resulted in Ronan being close to hoarse from trying to make himself heard above the din. AC/DC proved a particular challenge. Ireland impress as the Lions struggle Listen | 26:21 If the Brumbies didn't shake the Lions all night long, they gave them a few wobbly moments, not least with that try after just three and a half minutes. It wasn't actually over the line, but no matter. 'It's a mixed bag,' said a not entirely impressed Ian McGeechan at half-time, while Kyle Sinckler noted 'some quite head-scratching stuff'. The second half was a bit on the mixed side too. 'It's a little bit disjointed, their juices aren't flowing,' said Ronan, although he was impressed by some of the individual performances. He described Tadhg Furlong , for example, as 'a thoroughbred', 'and I played with a few piebalds in my day'. Tadhg Furlong in action for the Lions during the game against the Brumbies in Canberra. Photograph:When Mack Hansen came on, Miles Harrison suggested that 'he wouldn't be spooked by a kangaroo on a jog up a mountain', asking Ronan to share his experience from the day before with the viewers. Ronan refused, though, perhaps still traumatised. 'Did the kangaroo win by any chance,' Miles asked. There was no response, so we took that as a yes. Any way, the Lions won, 36-24, all our pundits a touch concerned about the concession of four tries, suggesting there's still plenty of fine-tuning to be done before the first test. The highlight of the post-match coverage was the terrific chat between Ronan, Dan Biggar and Finn Russell out on the pitch. 'A Scottish 10, a Welsh 10 and an Irish 10 walk in to an interview with Ellie,' as Alex introduced it. 'It's great to see you play with a smile on your face,' said Ronan. 'I've always got a smile on my face,' said Finn. 'Even though this is the highest level you can play, it's still just a game of rugby, so I'm still out there having a bit of fun.' 'Some of us don't see rugby like that,' said Ronan, Dan nodding vigorously, like it only ever put a grimace on his face. The Lions' Finn Russell is tackled by the Brumbies' Ollie Sapsford. Photograph:What was helping put Finn in good spirits, he said, was the company of his wife and two young daughters who had travelled to Australia. The younger girl, Skye, is one, but will be sitting her GCSEs by the time the tour is over. Back in the studio, it was Ian's turn to pick his Lions side for the first test, Sam Warburton, Alex told us, having received quite a lot of social media feedback after choosing his. 'I learnt the hard way – don't open your notifications.' Alex suggested that there'd be a free pint of Guinness for Ian on his next visit to Ireland after he picked nine of our lads in his team, but having omitted the other six of them, that's probably doubtful. We'll just have to be patient and wait to see Andy Farrell's selection, the only one that matters, of course. And we'll need to be patient too before finding out what exactly happened between Ronan and the kangaroo. If Skippy called him a plod, a plank and an ape, no wonder it kicked off.
