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LNR publishes the result of its O'Gara, Urios disciplinary hearing
Ronan O’Gara and Christophe Urios have each escaped a ban for their tempestuous sideline clash at the end of the first half in the recent La Rochelle Top 14 win at Bordeaux. TV footage showed the pair of coaches going head-to-head with each other on April 2 after Urios took issue with the manner in which O’Gara was celebrating something that had just happened on the pitch before the interval.
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After a celebratory fist pump, O’Gara appeared to direct some words in the direction of Urios and the former hooker didn’t take kindly to it and set off to confront O’Gara. The pair exchanged words before Urios appeared to reach out with a half-hearted cheek slap for the Irishman, who dodged the outreached hand.
Urios let fly at his post-match interview, telling French media at the time: “This guy is unbearable. I regret that the fourth or fifth referee did not do his job. How can we enter the field? How do we connect people? He’s really lucky.
“He goes to the stands, he f*** the m… in the stands. He goes to the edge of the field, he f*** the m… at the edge of the field. He is unbearable. Are you telling me that it must already go to committee? But I don’t care, it’s over. I moved on. I don’t care about him.”
Both coaches were asked by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby to explain their actions at a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday and the outcome that was issued on Thursday stated that the pair had been reprimanded for their behaviour.
An LNR statement read: “Ronan O’Gara was found responsible for ‘indiscipline’ and in particular ‘nervousness’ (nervosité) and is sanctioned with a reprimand. Within the framework of article 65 of the general regulations of the LNR, La Rochelle are not sanctioned.
“Christophe Urios was found responsible for ‘indiscipline’ and in particular ‘nervousness’ and is sanctioned with a reprimand. In the context of article 65 of the general regulations of the LNR, Bordeaux-Begles are not sanctioned.”
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The outcome will be a relief for O’Gara who is currently serving a two-game LNR ban following a disciplinary hearing last week into an incident in last month’s Top 14 win by La Rochelle over Racing 92.
An LNR statement last week read: “Ronan O’Gara was found responsible for ‘indiscipline’ and in particular for ‘contesting the decisions of match officials’. Consequently, taking into account, in particular, the disciplinary record of O’Gara, he was sanctioned with a two-week suspension and a €1,000 fine.”
This decision left O’Gara without a hands-on matchday role for the two-legged European round of 16 affair with Bordeaux which started last Saturday with La Rochelle’s 31-13 win at Stade Chaban-Delmas and continues with this Saturday’s second leg at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments