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Another team in the mix for O'Gara's services - reports

Crusaders assistant coach Ronan O'Gara. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

Ronan O’Gara it seems is not short of options when it comes to his next move.

The former Ireland outhalf is currently with the Canterbury Crusaders, working as an assistant to Scott Robertson.

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In recent weeks O’Gara was linked to a short-term deal with the French national team to work with Jacques Brunel and his coaching team for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

But over the weekend O’Gara insisted that France option is nowhere adding that he’d much prefer to be on Scott Robertson’s All Blacks coaching ticket if the Crusaders boss wins the race to succeed Steve Hansen as New Zealand boss.

“There was one or two approaches from an agent, that’s as far we’ve got. As anyone knows I have an amount of work to do here, which is really important to me, and if there is anything Razor [Robertson] and the Crusaders would be the first to know about it,” said O’Gara to Radio Sport NZ, adding that he aspires to potentially joining the All Blacks if Robertson ever makes the step-up.

“Exactly, exactly,” he said when quizzed about a possible All Blacks approach.

A return to his former side Racing 92 has also been mooted before, but now another team has entered the mix for O’Gara, with RMC Sport reporting that Montpellier are interested O’Gara.

According to RMC Sport “Contacts have been formed between “ROG” and the club chaired by Mohed Altrad, who has been working for several weeks on changes in the staff of Vern Cotter”.

Currently Cotter’s coaching team comprises of two Scots Nathan Hines and Richie Gray, along with two Englishmen Alex King and Ian Vass. King is the backs coach, while Vass is responsible for defence and skills.

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Montpellier are currently 9th in the Top 14 table, with the billionaire owner Altrad keen to catapult them back into playoff contention.

O’Gara’s contract with the Crusaders is due to run out at the end of the Super Rugby season in July.

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Nickers 20 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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