OGara to Racing Metro next season. Coaching position

Feel sorry for Sexton.

Sexton will be fine,people assumed it was RoG that caused him problems but it's been fairly obvious for a couple of seasons now that anyone who played under DK for Ireland suffered for the experience.

Yep heard that on the radio earlier. Thought it was a joke tbh !

Haha, brilliant.

Wonder what exact role he will have. The 2 other coaches have been working together for years as well. Maybe ROG will be the go-to man that liaise with racing foreign legion. Will be interesting though, looking forward to see him close to the pitch.

He definitely seems like he has what it takes to be a coach,hope it goes well for him.

I've seen a press release thats said he will work on kicking with the senior players and Academy.

ROG is a badden hi! Sexton is feiced!

O'Gara will help Sexton with his French. Sexton will head off and try out his newly learned words on his French team-mates and wake up the next morning in hospital.....

Seriously... I think Sexton will love having O'Gara around.

Har har ...Sextons first penalty for Ireland after moving to Racing...misses by a mile...

Collective Lulster brigade on here....its ROG's fault clearly....plus ca change..

DOD wrote:Har har ...Sextons first penalty for Ireland after moving to Racing...misses by a mile...

Collective Lulster brigade on here....its ROG's fault clearly....plus ca change..

Notch wrote:I've seen a press release thats said he will work on kicking with the senior players and Academy.

Strange that information included in a press release is not being reported on the on-line media.

Sounds rational though.

In ROG's own words in the print edition of the Examiner.

"But I am hugely excited about the prospect and looking forward to the new challenge. I will be working mainly with their first team and will also look after the half backs at all age levels. I will also be working with Racing's Academy and that excites me because I need to understand principles of coaching the younger aged. I bet many of you are lauging at the prospect of Jonny Sexton having to listen to me on a daily basis!'"

Reported on the Indo website that he is on 300K per annum. Not bad for a first coaching gig.

He will also be doing a weekly column for The Examiner and apparently is on Sky Sports today for the Heineken Cup final.

Good for him and he goes as quite an honest kind of guy with regards of his sexton comment. Great for the racing half backs for sure, if they learn 10% from what ROG knows it will be worth the salary. He will need to learn French quite quickly though. Am not specially a racing supporter but I actually feel excited as well!

whocares wrote:Good for him and he goes as quite an honest kind of guy with regards of his sexton comment. Great for the racing half backs for sure, if they learn 10% from what ROG knows it will be worth the salary. He will need to learn French quite quickly though. Am not specially a racing supporter but I actually feel excited as well!

If they learn 10% of what he knows about halfback play what will they do for the rest of the morning

ROG was a good kicker out of hand, and good at goal, but am I too wrong in thinking the games passed him by somewhat and Sexton's boot is probably more cultured than ROG's was at his best?

That said I thought the same thing of Jenkins in the Wales set up but if it's possible 1/2p's kicking tech and results have become better since Jenkins got involved, so good luck to the guy

Out of hand / place kicking is hardly in the culture of french coaches at academy level. If anything only future scrum halves get special training in kicking. That's why you see french full backs (as an example) who dont have a clue how to use their boot properly (classic example at clermont where the highly skilled buttin gets none of the big games). A player like trinh duc will never have played at 10 anwhere else (maybe in australia).
On that respect I welcome ROG experience and know-how.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

whocares wrote:Good for him and he goes as quite an honest kind of guy with regards of his sexton comment. Great for the racing half backs for sure, if they learn 10% from what ROG knows it will be worth the salary. He will need to learn French quite quickly though. Am not specially a racing supporter but I actually feel excited as well!

If they learn 10% of what he knows about halfback play what will they do for the rest of the morning

ROG was a good kicker out of hand, and good at goal, but am I too wrong in thinking the games passed him by somewhat and Sexton's boot is probably more cultured than ROG's was at his best?

That said I thought the same thing of Jenkins in the Wales set up but if it's possible 1/2p's kicking tech and results have become better since Jenkins got involved, so good luck to the guy

O'Gara was probably the best out of hand kicker of his generation, and as good as any with the place kicks. Sexton is better at everything else but O'Gara was a master with the boot. So the answer is no, Sexton's boot is not as cultured as ROG's, as at his best ROG was probably the best. Had he been able to tackle, create attacking moves and had more of an attacking running game he would have been a great, unfortunately he didn't.

Artful_Dodger wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

whocares wrote:Good for him and he goes as quite an honest kind of guy with regards of his sexton comment. Great for the racing half backs for sure, if they learn 10% from what ROG knows it will be worth the salary. He will need to learn French quite quickly though. Am not specially a racing supporter but I actually feel excited as well!

If they learn 10% of what he knows about halfback play what will they do for the rest of the morning

ROG was a good kicker out of hand, and good at goal, but am I too wrong in thinking the games passed him by somewhat and Sexton's boot is probably more cultured than ROG's was at his best?

That said I thought the same thing of Jenkins in the Wales set up but if it's possible 1/2p's kicking tech and results have become better since Jenkins got involved, so good luck to the guy

O'Gara was probably the best out of hand kicker of his generation, and as good as any with the place kicks. Sexton is better at everything else but O'Gara was a master with the boot. So the answer is no, Sexton's boot is not as cultured as ROG's, as at his best ROG was probably the best. Had he been able to tackle, create attacking moves and had more of an attacking running game he would have been a great, unfortunately he didn't.

mmm... Don't let those rose tints drop and crack now.

I'm not an O'Gara fan in the slightest bluesman, I've been heavily critical of him being selected for Ireland for several seasons now. However, if you want to argue that he wasn't one of the best around when it came to kicking and if you really want to argue that Sexton has a better kicking game than him then I can only assume you don't really know what you're talking about. Then again some of your opinions on here are pretty laughable, Kirchener being a similar player to Dagg being a favourite of mine.

Artful_Dodger wrote:I'm not an O'Gara fan in the slightest bluesman, I've been heavily critical of him being selected for Ireland for several seasons now. However, if you want to argue that he wasn't one of the best around when it came to kicking and if you really want to argue that Sexton has a better kicking game than him then I can only assume you don't really know what you're talking about. Then again some of your opinions on here are pretty laughable, Kirchener being a similar player to Dagg being a favourite of mine.

It's nice you have favourites...

I always have favourites when it comes to comedians.

It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

To say he was the best of his generation is very myopic and I agree with you. A legend of provincial rugby and never an outstanding international outhalf. To say he was the best kicker from hand of his generation; I actually think so. Well, it's debatable but he has to be up there. He had the full repetoire in his prime.

Okay he basically couldn't tackle and he had no running game but the guy could kick a rugby ball in his day. I think he'll do very well as a skills/kicking coach too- his personality is suited to it. I think he will be quite successful in his new role. I don't see him as a head coach type, but a kicking coach- he can do that job, absolutely. And he speaks French already.

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

SecretFly wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

Dan Carter. In Europe, Stephen Jones was the most consistent and impressive 10 in the period ROG was playing.

Notch wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

Dan Carter. In Europe, Stephen Jones was the most consistent and impressive 10 in the period ROG was playing.

I think anyone who played in the last 2 decades falls victim to Dan Carter, but with regards to tactical kicking it's such a small element of the game of a 10, and there are so many variations of kick type, kick execution etc that it's a nothing topic.

ROG could kick corners well, but his high ball lacked height and accuracy at times, he rarely cross fielded, and he had no real 'short game' with the boot because of his lack of running game, plus his kick from deep was always short and enticed a counter, and his touch was similar to Jones in that they both played too safe and didn't get enough distance.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Notch wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

Dan Carter. In Europe, Stephen Jones was the most consistent and impressive 10 in the period ROG was playing.

I think anyone who played in the last 2 decades falls victim to Dan Carter, but with regards to tactical kicking it's such a small element of the game of a 10, and there are so many variations of kick type, kick execution etc that it's a nothing topic.

ROG could kick corners well, but his high ball lacked height and accuracy at times, he rarely cross fielded, and he had no real 'short game' with the boot because of his lack of running game, plus his kick from deep was always short and enticed a counter, and his touch was similar to Jones in that they both played too safe and didn't get enough distance.

Wasn't the cross field kick a huge weapon Ireland used with Shane Horgan (and later Tommy Bowe) on the wings? He did it plenty.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Notch wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

Dan Carter. In Europe, Stephen Jones was the most consistent and impressive 10 in the period ROG was playing.

I think anyone who played in the last 2 decades falls victim to Dan Carter, but with regards to tactical kicking it's such a small element of the game of a 10, and there are so many variations of kick type, kick execution etc that it's a nothing topic.

ROG could kick corners well, but his high ball lacked height and accuracy at times, he rarely cross fielded, and he had no real 'short game' with the boot because of his lack of running game, plus his kick from deep was always short and enticed a counter, and his touch was similar to Jones in that they both played too safe and didn't get enough distance.

Wasn't the cross field kick a huge weapon Ireland used with Shane Horgan (and later Tommy Bowe) on the wings? He did it plenty.

Plenty is a bit of a stretch, they tried it a few times, and I remember 2 designed for Shane Horgan that went dead against Scotland and Wales I think, although I do remember a Bowe try too against one of the PI teams.

Notch wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

Dan Carter. In Europe, Stephen Jones was the most consistent and impressive 10 in the period ROG was playing.

Leaving aside Dan then - obviously! Stephen Jones?

That's Stephen Jones: 13 years/110 games/91 starts/970 points/7 tries/160 conversions/198 penalties/7 drop goals/44 won - 63 lost?
This is Ronan O'Gara: 13 years/130 games/87 starts/1083 points/16 tries/176 conversions/202 penalties/15 drop goals/73 won - 54 lost?

The international bit that O'Gara is no good at - then the Munster/European rugby bit that he got Best European Player of the first 15 years from ERC.

He might not be the style of flyhalf most people like and I'm not denigrating Jones, he was no slouch. But there is no way Jones was better.

SecretFly wrote:

Notch wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

who was?

Dan Carter. In Europe, Stephen Jones was the most consistent and impressive 10 in the period ROG was playing.

Leaving aside Dan then - obviously! Stephen Jones?

That's Stephen Jones: 13 years/110 games/91 starts/970 points/7 tries/160 conversions/198 penalties/7 drop goals/44 won - 63 lost?
This is Ronan O'Gara: 13 years/130 games/87 starts/1083 points/16 tries/176 conversions/202 penalties/15 drop goals/73 won - 54 lost?

The international bit that O'Gara is no good at - then the Munster/European rugby bit that he got Best European Player of the first 15 years from ERC.

He might not be the style of flyhalf most people like and I'm not denigrating Jones, he was no slouch. But there is no way Jones was better.

Well I'm not saying Jones was better, but every opportunity I can remember where there was a possible selection between the two competing head to head didn't Jones come out on top?

thebluesmancometh wrote:
ROG could kick corners well, but his high ball lacked height and accuracy at times, he rarely cross fielded, and he had no real 'short game' with the boot because of his lack of running game, plus his kick from deep was always short and enticed a counter, and his touch was similar to Jones in that they both played too safe and didn't get enough distance.

Eh?? Hey invented the bloody cross kick. Every other of Irelands tries came from them!

Agree he didn't have great range on his touch finders, particularly his in his latter days but he had incredible accuracy, and variety and his ability to pin teams back with his touch finders was second to none in world rugby for several seasons.

rodders wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:
ROG could kick corners well, but his high ball lacked height and accuracy at times, he rarely cross fielded, and he had no real 'short game' with the boot because of his lack of running game, plus his kick from deep was always short and enticed a counter, and his touch was similar to Jones in that they both played too safe and didn't get enough distance.

Eh?? Hey invented the bloody cross kick. Every other of Irelands tries came from them!

Agree he didn't have great range on his touch finders, particularly his in his latter days but he had incredible accuracy, and variety and his ability to pin teams back with his touch finders was second to none in world rugby for several seasons.

I will agree, if the category is narrowed to 'Offencive kicks that could pin a team back in their own 22 for periods where Munsters agressive pack could probe for mistakes' he was the best ever

bluesman.... the record speaks for itself. If you want to talk about subjectivity in relation to it - who we all think was better? Then that's a debate that could and probably will go on forever.

But in the facts of tries scored, points scored, drop goals scored in their own right, without even bringing into it how both assisted their team mates in scoring tries... O'Gara wins the battle.

rodders wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:
ROG could kick corners well, but his high ball lacked height and accuracy at times, he rarely cross fielded, and he had no real 'short game' with the boot because of his lack of running game, plus his kick from deep was always short and enticed a counter, and his touch was similar to Jones in that they both played too safe and didn't get enough distance.

Eh?? Hey invented the bloody cross kick. Every other of Irelands tries came from them!

Agree he didn't have great range on his touch finders, particularly his in his latter days but he had incredible accuracy, and variety and his ability to pin teams back with his touch finders was second to none in world rugby for several seasons.

Not that my memory is great but honestly I am fairly sure it was one of our main attacking weapons..

Shane Horgan scored a lot from these.

Just to point out that I didn't say O'Gara was the best of his generation, I didn't say anything close to that actually. I said when it came to out of hand kicking he was the best of his generation. Someone however is twisting what I said.

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

I could start quoting the comments above which would make it clear that I didn't say he was the best of his generation but if you're going to to turn me saying he was the best out of hand kicker of his generation into me saying that he was the best 10 of his generation then I think the conversation is pretty pointless.

Artful_Dodger wrote:
O'Gara was probably the best out of hand kicker of his generation.

It would take someone of quite limited intelligence to construe that this means I was intimating that he was the best 10 of his generation.

Artful_Dodger wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

I could start quoting the comments above which would make it clear that I didn't say he was the best of his generation but if you're going to to turn me saying he was the best out of hand kicker of his generation into me saying that he was the best 10 of his generation then I think the conversation is pretty pointless.

I'm talking out of hand!!! his offencive kicks to the corner were immense, however his boot lacked power, his goal kicking wasn't long, his defencive kicks weren't long, his kicking to touch was too short and safe, his bombs weren't high or accurate enough, there are kickers of his generation who could do all these things far better than ROG, but because your memory is clouded with him pinging teams back behind a very good Munster pack you claim his kicking in general was best of his generation?? Come on!!!

Not sure whos talking about stats, I wouldn't rate Jones or ROG against each other but if I did you could only compare them when comparible, as in when they were in the same team competing, and one was selected over the other constantly as the better player. If stats is what you want there is a little asian guy who claims to be the best wing ever to play the game due to his try scoring record.

This is the second time I have dared to not agree an Irish legend isn't the greatest rugby player to ever have lived, stop being so precious and just call it how it is FFS!

Artful_Dodger wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:
O'Gara was probably the best out of hand kicker of his generation.

It would take someone of quite limited intelligence to construe that this means I was intimating that he was the best 10 of his generation.

Don't worry about it Artful. Words take on whole new meanings in this forum. People don't mean to misconstrue...it's just old sensitive Pre-Lions nerves time.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

This is the second time I have dared to not agree an Irish legend isn't the greatest rugby player to ever have lived, stop being so precious and just call it how it is FFS!

You keep mentioning that word 'Precious'.... are you in possession of a nice gold ring that belongs to someone else??

It's not about being precious..it's about being factual. He did perform at International. No, he didn't do a Carter. Who in Europe did? He performed as well as, if not better than, most alternatives operating in Europe through his period. You say no...others say you're wrong.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:It's not my fault ROG will be remembered as a Munster legend and little else, great club player who didn't really show too much on the int stage, to say he was best of his generation...

I could start quoting the comments above which would make it clear that I didn't say he was the best of his generation but if you're going to to turn me saying he was the best out of hand kicker of his generation into me saying that he was the best 10 of his generation then I think the conversation is pretty pointless.

I'm talking out of hand!!! his offencive kicks to the corner were immense, however his boot lacked power, his goal kicking wasn't long, his defencive kicks weren't long, his kicking to touch was too short and safe, his bombs weren't high or accurate enough, there are kickers of his generation who could do all these things far better than ROG, but because your memory is clouded with him pinging teams back behind a very good Munster pack you claim his kicking in general was best of his generation?? Come on!!!

Not sure whos talking about stats, I wouldn't rate Jones or ROG against each other but if I did you could only compare them when comparible, as in when they were in the same team competing, and one was selected over the other constantly as the better player. If stats is what you want there is a little asian guy who claims to be the best wing ever to play the game due to his try scoring record.

This is the second time I have dared to not agree an Irish legend isn't the greatest rugby player to ever have lived, stop being so precious and just call it how it is FFS!

Now you are being a bit ridiculous, bluesman. Also, you have to realise that while you may think you are "calling it how it is" that we can disagree with your perception.

Ahhhh, Bluesman, the poor man's Sin. Sin, if you are listening to this we need you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbW5sxyu9bU

What sort of power was Heart? Honestly.

Also Blues doesn't use nearly enough exclamation marks to be taken seriously. Up your game young man.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Ahhhh, Bluesman, the poor man's Sin. Sin, if you are listening to this we need you!

This is shocking.. ROG is getting a slating and its up to the Lulster faithful to come to the rescue! Sin! DOD! Where are yoouuuuu???

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

Also Blues doesn't use nearly enough exclamation marks to be taken seriously. Up your game young man.

'But in the facts of tries scored, points scored, drop goals scored in their own right, without even bringing into it how both assisted their team mates in scoring tries... O'Gara wins the battle.'

'He might not be the style of flyhalf most people like and I'm not denigrating Jones, he was no slouch. But there is no way Jones was better.'

'I always have favourites when it comes to comedians.'

mmm.. Not much opinion there is there? Facts, statements and name calling...

Again as a total neutral commenting on the strengths and weakness's of recently discussed Irish players ( well not really neutral asI have lived in their province, supported their province, met and worked with them) there has been a pretty hefty backlash and both players have been deemed best ever types in differing ways.

Sooooooo precious

For those who say he could only kick yada yada...i refer to the 05 to 09 seasons...wasnt he also top try scorer in the 6ns once...

other than that he was a great for his province and mostly very good for his country...

apparently he and sexton have a very good working relationship...who knew...not the whingers on here

Am a proper neutral but no offense to Jones, he ended up in wasps and didnt have the same aura and influence as ROG the ligend

Bluesman you have been whinging about him since the original 606

thebluesmancometh wrote:'But in the facts of tries scored, points scored, drop goals scored in their own right, without even bringing into it how both assisted their team mates in scoring tries... O'Gara wins the battle.'

'He might not be the style of flyhalf most people like and I'm not denigrating Jones, he was no slouch. But there is no way Jones was better.'

'I always have favourites when it comes to comedians.'

mmm.. Not much opinion there is there? Facts, statements and name calling...

Again as a total neutral commenting on the strengths and weakness's of recently discussed Irish players ( well not really neutral asI have lived in their province, supported their province, met and worked with them) there has been a pretty hefty backlash and both players have been deemed best ever types in differing ways.

Sooooooo precious

Alright Blues, you are right, we are wrong, we are all too precious about our players to be taken seriously. We bow to your superior knowledge.