Borrowing from Darwin’s theory of evolution Ronan O’Gara has set out a dramatic stall as rugby begins to take deeper steps into the unknown. The former Ireland outhalf and current coach at French side La Rochelle rarely lacks compelling attitude or opinion and believes that players must adapt or perish if they fail to make the huge adjustments rugby is currently demanding from everyone.
France is treating the pandemic differently to Ireland but across all countries players have had to change lifestyle, perspective and preparation and it hasn’t been an easy thing to do for those who thrive on certainty. Certainty, says O’Gara, has vanished. It has vanished for now and it has probably vanished for many months to come.
They have to suck it up, he says, or they will fall by the wayside. By ‘they’ he is also including people like La Rochelle director of coaching Jono Gibbes, Leinster’s Leo Cullen and himself, all involved in coaching teams.
“It’s very much changed,” said O’Gara. “I suppose my philosophy and my outlook since last March – because we’ve had time to get off the treadmill and actually contemplate what you’re doing and how you’re doing it – the space we’re operating in now is very, very, very short term as opposed to any other pre-season, where there was a norm and now the norm is completely gone.
“And I think the people who are very capable or very open to adapting may prosper in the long run. But anyone who likes a bit of certainty, it’s gone, and I’d say it’s gone for a long time.”
In France the clubs are simply cracking on until the government tells them to stop playing. O’Gara’s club has had no positive tests for coronavirus but Stade Francais, with 30 cases, is unlikely to stop the Top 14 competition in its tracks. The French attitude is less laissez-faire and more the show must go on unless the pandemic becomes totally out of control.
Even Stade will play and are expected to put out 23 players every week with the removed Covid positive players having to self isolate for nine days.
“The message we’ve received is it’s going on, so Stade Francais, they’ve had 30 cases but that’s not going to stop the competition. There are different hypotheses for scenario A, B or C, but I think the rules coming down from the FFR is that the games will go ahead unless the French government come in over their heads and say, ‘Okay, shut down’.
“So the show is going on it seems, in terms of there won’t be any great pauses like there has been in the past. Obviously, it’s a pandemic. If it’s out of control completely then there might be a review but the information we’ve received is that if your guys have tested positive then they’ve got to go to self-isolation for nine days and then review it.
“I think that’s why it’s important with the academy and the professional team and players you have, you’re going to have to put out 23 players every week.”
As in Ireland most of the clubs have been on a war footing. But assuming a football team is a fair reflection of society generally, then all players cannot be always controlled. Stade have shown that and their cancelled ‘tour’ to Nice was no better than a terrible idea in the first place.
The parallel tactical contest between teams is how to keep players hyper cautious and maintain their levels of bio-security. It is, says O’Gara, the clubs that have the best lockdown procedures who are going to prosper and the clubs with poor protocols will lose players. But he also acknowledges that once they walk out the door the club can no longer control the environment.
“A lot of people or sporting people probably think, ‘I’m fit and I’m healthy, I won’t get this’. But it doesn’t select its victims and it has ravaged through their [Stade] squad.
“It’s an extremely challenging time for the medical people. There is no doubt about it. They have been completely overworked and they have been challenged like they have never been before in the rugby club.”
O’Gara now is a changed, or, changing character. He left Europe with fixed ideas. But Christchurch and Crusaders was a kind of rugby rapture. Now he is back with a open mindset and a growth oriented ethos.
He sees Leinster as the best team in Europe and among the best in the world and far from this weekend against Munster being a soft opening with no fans in the Aviva Stadium, he thinks both teams will give plenty of bag for their buck.
“If you are interested in rugby and interested in what the best teams do, you watch Leinster, you watch the Crusaders, you watch New Zealand, you watch South Africa, you watch Exeter,” says O’Gara.
That said, you can take the man out of Munster but not Munster out of the man. Leinster have a backline okay, but...
“I think there is probably an under appreciation of how good Munster backs can be,” he says. “You can have Conor Murray, you can have JJ [Hanrahan], Joey Carbery, [Damian] de Allende or [Rory] Scannell, [Chris] Farrell, [Andrew] Conway, [Keith] Earls and one or two for 15. They’ve incredible competition.”
Irish evolution with some South African DNA and looking good.
*Ronan O’Gara was speaking as an ambassador for Guinness.
