Ireland outhalf Ronan O'Gara explains to GAVIN CUMMISKEYat Murrayfield why he is playing with a new-found freedom at this stage of his career

RONAN O’GARA no longer feels the weight of a nation’s expectations on his shoulders. Clearly, this evolvement, in what has already been a storied career, is of immense benefit to the country’s sporting vibe.

The man is 33 now and yesterday he produced one of those rhythmic performances, usually saved for the cathedral that is Thomond Park, in a green jersey.

Ireland continued with the expansive approach but O’Gara did conduct matters on his terms, elevating one of those water-to-wine kicking displays to the Test arena, working the tramlines with a surgeon’s precision.

“Yeah, I just think I struggled for years. It was so important to me. I take my rugby very seriously but I have been lucky. The career has been brilliant to me. I wouldn’t change a thing but at this stage I got to enjoy this last year or two I have left.

“I can’t be playing for people all the time, I need to play for myself and my family. That’s the way I am going now.

“I really enjoyed it this morning. I was really chilled out. Relaxed. It is a good positive mindset to bring.

“You can always learn no matter what stage of your career you are at. You look at the exuberance and confidence of the Leinster players, I can learn from it. I kinda feel I’m a rookie in comparison to the way some of these lads react. A great trait to have in a person.”

O’Gara admitted Jonny Sexton’s climb up the Irish outhalf ladder forced him to dig deeper than he ever has before and without saying David Humphreys’ name he harked back to that defining rivalry in the first half of his 11-year Ireland career.

“I was frustrated,” he admitted. “I was disappointed I was not getting more games but from the bigger picture, from the World Cup I can understand it, it is all to play for in terms of starting. I think I have adapted well to the competition. It has brought out he best in me over the years.

“Jonny Sexton has a huge role to play. I think he is a class player. He kicked a lovely ball down into the left corner to take the pressure off us.

“That’s probably the frustrating part of this; it is viewed that we play different games but I think essentially the two of us play the exact same game.

“People might look upon it to suit their agendas.”

That remains open to debate and O’Gara will ensure debate remains a crucial part of Irish team selection throughout this World Cup year.

His try, Ireland’s third, will rank alongside so many of the iconic moments in a unique sporting life.

With 52 minutes on the clock, clearly levitating in a zone us lay men can only imagine, O’Gara switched the point of attack to the blindside, handing off Lions hooker Ross Ford before cheekily bursting Chris Paterson’s fickle block in the dead ball area to ensure a simple conversion.

“I enjoyed it. It’s something I won’t do again but you live in the moment. When the blood is up, the blood is up and you do these things.

“I was just empty at that stage,” he continued, switching the point of the interview unprompted. “I was talking to Jonny Sexton just there about it. I know from experience, coming on with 20 minutes to go, he felt he was playing with zombies for the last 15 minutes. I can appreciate that. It is really taxing, Test match (rugby), and the pitch is really soft. Really energy sapping.

“I think there is an advantage when a fresh fella comes in, he can add a lot to it. But then the other fellas are on a pitch below that so you have to bear that in mind too.

“Yeah, it was a tough game. I think there were times in the second half we played really well. Seán O’Brien went on some bull-dozing runs but we got penalised.

“If it goes to 24 or 28-9 that’s two scores and it kills it but they are playing at home, wounded from the Welsh game, and had everything to play for so they came hard at us but they were never going to score a try. That’s the bottom line, I think.”

The bell has rung for the final lap of O’Gara’s rugby journey yet this performance means the internal and hugely positive duel with Sexton has been flung wide open.

Again.

“I’m not too bothered about that. That’s up to the coaches. The most important thing is Ireland win and I started, that’s all I’ll say.”