Ronan O'Gara joined us on Monday Night Rugby and elaborated on reports that he is due to take up a position with the French World Cup squad.
Through contact with a French agent last week, O'Gara revealed that he has been 'sounded out' on a number of options within both the club and international game - but that a move from Crusaders would "hopefully not be a while yet."
"I was learning more from reading [the reports] than anything else! 'Prêt à signer' - ready to sign. That's farcical - you can't be ready to sign after a conversation with an agent that has nothing to do with anything that goes on," said O'Gara on the rumours surrounding the World Cup rumours.
With typical coolness, O'Gara is assessing the options available to him - and while the potential role with the French World Cup squad is in its nascent stages, he hinted that he would be interested in working with Andy Farrell's new Ireland setup.
"Of course, yeah," he said on potential interest in relation to a role with Farrell.
“I was in Chicago this year for Ireland - Italy game – I met the staff, and met members of the IRFU and I would chat to them.”
While nothing was explicitly stated during these conversations, O'Gara is clear to say that he is open to the possibility by proving himself with Crusaders.
"I would be exactly the same if I was them - you have to prove yourself elsewhere before you get an opportunity at the highest level, coaching of rugby in Ireland.
"That is what my focus is at the minute - I have to give myself the option that they want me."
ROG also let us into the circumstances surrounding Crusaders' most recent game, with the build-up naturally affected by the mass shootings at two mosques in their home city of Christchurch, less than two weeks ago.
"It's not business as usual - far from it. It was a very strange week and even a very strange build-up to the game. I thought that the atmosphere was really good.
"The boys looked really on, and we were all ready to perform [...] but I think that we decided to play summer rugby in winter."
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