RONAN O’GARA MUST fast be earning a reputation as the ‘bad boy’ of the French assistant coaching circuit as he has been cited for the third time in his season and a quarter tenure as Racing Metro skills coach.
O’Gara was ultimately not charged following touchline incidents in May and September of this year but he will once again have to face a disciplinary committee after his ‘behaviour’ during Racing Metro’s recent derby against Stade Francais.
The LNR were once again vague when describing the incident but O’Gara will learn his fate at a hearing on 5 November.
For the former out-half’s sake, O’Gara better hope the LNR don’t operate a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ rule.
The fact that Ulster (-89) and Exeter (-113) can still qualify with 1 round to go with 0 points on the board is either a disgrace or a stroke of genius from EPCR. I cannot decide which!!
@Paul Ennis: Since Leinster has ended up playing away to LAR for the last two seasons I have to think it’s not positive for EPCR. Bring back the old system which was clearer about qualifying. Having said that it has worked out well for Ulster and Munster this year but they’ll struggle in the quarter finals.
@Con Cussed: Of course for Ulster provided they win next week! ;0)))
@Paul Ennis: I can’t understand why EPCR persist with this current format. They took over the best club competition in the sport and have found new ways to make it less entertaining. The old 4 team pools with home and away fixtures were the best. It built rivalries and the permutations coming into the last 2 rounds in January always made for a thrilling final games. Instead they’ve added an unnecessary last 16 games, experimented with 2nd legs where scoring is carried over, and removed the home and away draws for the semi final. It generally results in the same teams qualifying for the finals. The business end is too condensed. So much for player welfare.
@mcdb06: It is nothing to do with player welfare and all to do with Top14 TV deals being worth 10 times more than EPCR TV deals.
Great photo of Andrew Porter with his dad.
Aren’t Leinster in 3rd place, with Toulouse on 14 points ?
@KIldareman: because leinster are top of their group that takes precedence over 2nd place in any other group regardless of points scored..
@KIldareman: Thé top 4 group winners are top seeds and have home qtrs. Toulouse will be away in qtrs and semis normally unless the teams seeded above them lose their last 16/qtrs to lower seeded teams.
@KIldareman: why can’t you read the article ?
@Michael Costello: Ah I can understand the confusion. Sometimes the comments are great for breaking it down in layman’s terms. Tbh the fact Toulouse and Bordeaux are in the same group seems mad to me. Toulouse don’t deserve away knockout games.
@greg cavey: No but it is based on last seasons finishing so hence Leinster and Bordeaux are 2nd seeds behind La Rochelle and Toulouse in the pool stages. Northampton and Glasgow were also top seeds but they might not top their pools either. Just the way the cookie crumbles.
Despite our strong squad we need the home knock out games, also ideally we meet Toulouse in Dublin, our best path to victory
So, we’ll be in Dubs till the final, and probably play Toulouse (at home) in the semi. Maybe it’s bonkers, since Toulouse have more points than us, but I’m certainly not going to quibble #LoveTheFormat