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'Class is permanent' - Ronan O'Gara on Mo'unga and Carter
Don’t you worry about Richie Mo’unga at the Crusaders or Dan Carter heading to Racing 92.
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That’s the message from current Crusaders backs coach Ronan O’Gara, who is and has worked with both classy pivots.
Mo’unga had probably his least impressive outing for the Crusaders since the 2017 British and Irish Lions clash, missing all three attempts off the tee in the season opener against the Blues and failing to exert his customary authority in the No 10 jersey.
“It takes a number of years as a kicker to find that consistency, so (Richie’s) still learning in that regard. He’s not going to have a stormer every week. That’s what he was doing last year,” O’Gara told RugbyPass.
“The Blues were putting shots on him after he’d passed that ball as well, so he’s going to get used to life as one of the top outside halves in the world.
“He’s still young. It’s interesting because if you have an attitude like his you always want to get better and grow your game. He’s very natural and easy to work with,” O’Gara says of a man who has been the best No 10 in Super Rugby in 2017-18, with all due respect to Beauden Barrett’s 2017 output.
O’Gara worked with Carter as a skills coach at Racing 92, winning the 2016 French Top 14 title together. The All Blacks great, soon to turn 37, will return to Paris next month as a ‘medical joker’ to cover for the retirement of Pat Lambie and now with Finn Russell concussed. Ben Volavola may run the cutter in the short-term.
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Despite claims in some quarters that Carter lived the high life too much during his sojourn in the French capital, O’Gara enjoyed his association with the man who scored 1598 points for the All Blacks.
“He’s like a Group 1 horse. You’re going to have to shoot him to keep him down. He’s such a competitor. He loves it. I met him before the (Blues v Crusaders) game. He looks in great shape and will be a huge addition.
“He was brilliant in Paris. He brought such a good attitude.
“He completely changed the way he defends. He was in the Wayne Smith mould and I changed him into a far more aggressive defender in terms of taking away time and space. All those great players are always open to new ideas,” says O’Gara.
By way of explanation, we all know Carter was a solid tackler, certainly far more so than O’Gara, but he was never one to rush up and spot tackle, happier to drift in behind the line.
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Last year Mo’unga told RugbyPass that O’Gara was big on spiral punting. We haven’t seen a lot of evidence of that yet in the Crusaders’ kicking game – Mick Byrne popularised the drop punt in New Zealand rugby and it is now ubiquitous – but they are working on it.
“It’s a big focus for a lot of guys here because it’s such a hard kick to defend against. I’m just trying to get it into their armoury. It was a kick I was brought up on in Ireland but the end over end has become very popular. We train it a lot. The boys enjoy doing it but it’s different putting it out in a Super Rugby game,” adds O’Gara.
He would love to see all the backs be able to kick effectively with at least one foot. It is an indictment on the skill level of some New Zealand backs when you consider that coaching books were around in the amateur days which called for all backs to be able to kick well with either foot and all forwards with at least one foot. Oh for a Colin Slade.
In the meantime, O’Gara is relishing working closely with four quality first fives, the others being Mitch Hunt, Brett Cameron (now a fully-fledged All Black) and 2017 NZ Barbarians Schools rep Fergus Burke.
We could not let O’Gara, who was in the north on media duty earlier this month, go without a comment on Ireland’s Six Nations prospects after two rounds nor the Johnny Sexton-Joey Carbery rivalry, which showcases contrasting styles.
“Challenging for the title will be very difficult as England has 10 points and Ireland has four points. There may be another twist but maybe they can chill out for Rugby World Cup over the next three games.
“Johnny, being the natural competitor that he is, will try and keep Joey down for as long as he can, but Joey seems to be an exceptionally good 10. Ireland are lucky.”
O’Gara knows all about rivals for the Ireland No 10 jersey, having fended off both David Humphreys and latterly Sexton in his long career.
Comments on RugbyPass
One was beginning to wonder if he would even rekindle his test career after he declined playing after WR changed their eligibility rules. Despite his late decision he still could have changed Samoa’s fortunes at the WC if he was fit.
2 Go to commentsHe never stops whinging. No wonder he is always chasing the next big dream.
2 Go to commentsI always enjoy a good scrum based article. Thanks, Nick. The Hurricanes are looking more and more the team to beat down here in Australasia. They are a very well balanced team. And though there are far fewer scrums in the game these days, destructive power in that area is a serious weapon, especially an attacking scrum within in the red zone. Aumua looked very good as a young first year player, but then seemed to fade. He sure is back now right in the picture for the AB’s. And I would judge that Taukei’aho is in a bit of a slump currently. Watching him at Suncorp a few weeks ago, I thought he was not as dominant in the game as I would have expected. I am going to raise an issue in that scrum at around the 13 min mark. I see a high level of danger there for the TH lifted off the ground. He is trapped between the opposition LH and his own powerful SR. His neck is being put under potentially dangerous pressure. The LH has, in law , no right to use his superior scrummaging skill….getting his head right in on the breastbone of the TH…..to force him up and off the ground. Had the TH popped out of the scrum, head up and free, there is no danger, that is a clear penalty to the dominant scrum. The law is quite clear on this issue: Law 37 Dangerous play and restricted practices in a scrum. C:Intentionally lifting an opponent off their feet or forcing them upwards out of the scrum. Sanction: Penalty. Few ,if any, referees seem to be aware of this law, and/or the dangers of the situation. Matthew Carly, refereeing Clermont v Munster in 2021, penalised the Munster scrum, when LH Wycherly was lifted very high, and in my view very dangerously, by TH Slimani. Lifting was coached in the late ‘60’s/70’s. Both Lions props, Ray McLouglin, and “Mighty Mouse” McLauchlan, were expert and highly successful at this technique. I have seen a photo, which I can’t find online atm, of MM with a NZ TH(not an AB) on his head, MM standing upright as the scrum disintegrates.
3 Go to commentsHey. Stay home and play for Mooloo.
1 Go to commentsTighthead was always going to be our weakness this year with Ryan going home to Ireland and the Cashed Up Blues taking a third All Black prop from us - nobody else in SR does that. Numia is the exciting one. He used to be a lightweight but he's really improved. Do you have stats on the All Black hookers’ lineouts for the game? I seem to remember a few misses.
3 Go to commentsFergus Burke isn't tier 1 player quality…but guess what, he'll be playing amongst them for Saracens…. all going well and Steve Borthwick is still the head coach, England...Scott Robertson’s hint of amending NZRU’s offshore AB eligibility clause, would mean that players like Josh Moorby who show potential might get a call…
4 Go to commentsThe movement of quality players back to SA is remarkable.
2 Go to commentsInteresting article, Nic. Am enjoying seeing the Rebels doing well, partly just to spite those who are working to wipe them off the face of the Australian rugby planet. But it is also good to see a team with somany good players beginning fire. LSL has benefitted so much from his move up to Northampton for the one year. I wonder why he did not stay on for another year. Does he now looks north and see his teammates of last year now doing so well, and have some regrets.
49 Go to comments“Over 80% of the World Cup squad are over 30” No it isn’t lol
2 Go to commentsTyrel Lomax the best AB prop since Carl Hayman. Absolutely destroyed the Boks in RWC Final and is monstering allcomers in Super this season. Should be a monster battle vs touring Poms, always deliver a power pack.
3 Go to commentsEye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
49 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
49 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
4 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
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