Reports today suggest that Racing Metro skills and kicking coach, Ronan O’Gara, is set to leave France to join the Irish coaching team. There is a vacancy after Les Kiss stepped down as defence coach, and a big personality like O’Gara would certainly lift spirits in the camp.

Kiss departs for Ulster to take on the role as director of rugby, and leaves a gaping hole to be filled. Despite conceding four tries against Argentina in his final game, Kiss brought the Irish defence on leaps and bounds, and turned them into one of the most watertight units in world rugby.

The former Munster and Ireland out-half publicly expressed concerns over his family’s safety following the Paris attacks two weeks ago, and this would add to the rumours that he may take a role with the IRFU.

This would be a popular move, as O’Gara carried the Irish team to many a famous victory in a 14 year career, winning 130 caps and scoring 1,083 points. Time and time again in both red and green, O’Gara showed immense bottle to make pressure kicks.

O’Gara has also worked well with Jonathan Sexton in Paris, and the pair look to have gelled following a rivalry throughout O’Gara’s playing career.

One thing is for sure; there would not be any huge opposition if Joe Schmidt made this appointment.

Hat-tip to Sportsjoe.ie.

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