RONAN O’GARA FEELS that Ian Madigan has an important career decision to make ahead of next season, with Johnny Sexton set to return to Leinster as first-choice out-half.
Former Ireland and Munster man O’Gara has been coaching Sexton at Racing Métro since the start of last season, and says the Top 14 club’s coaching and playing staff understand Sexton’s decision to return to Ireland.
While O’Gara accepts that the Parisians will be greatly weakened by losing Sexton next summer, he admitted that he empathised with the 29-year-old’s desire to re-join Leinster.
“I think anyone who’s serious about their rugby would be disappointed, because there aren’t many out-halves like him in Europe and it’s very hard to sign a good out-half,” says O’Gara. “So from our point of view, it’s a big, big blow.
But I think people accept his decision and understand his decision, and that’s the most important thing. They realise he’s from Dublin and he wants to play with Leinster; you have to fully appreciate that.
“I didn’t try to convince him [to stay], he just told me what he was thinking. There’s a human side to it too, you have to understand exactly why he’d be doing that. I think he’s making a logical decision for himself.”
While some have questioned the timing of the announcement of Sexton’s departure for Ireland, given that it came so early in the current campaign, O’Gara believes that having the process sorted will actually help the player to prosper.
“He’s an awful lot happier because the decision is made, he knows what he’s doing, his head is clear. He wants to achieve something in his time left with Racing, that’s what he’s like.
“I think it’s much better for everyone the fact that the decision was made early. It’s not going to dilute his performances in Racing, that’s not in his nature.”
When Sexton does land back in Ireland, his re-instalment as Leinster’s number one out-half complicates matter for Madigan, who is having problems nailing down the 10 shirt at the province even without Sexton there.
O’Gara says Matt O’Connor’s preference for Jimmy Gopperth so far this season has to be accepted, but admits that Madigan may need to look elsewhere in the long-term.
“It’s hard because they’re getting chopped and changed. Any 10 would tell you that they love game time in that position and they get better from learning from their mistakes.
“The coach wants results and if he feels that he might get better performances from Gopperth, then you respect that.
“It’s hard to comment on it, because Johnny in Leinster was out on his own and now he’s going to come back. I think his game management is very good, so he’ll be there. So Ian Madigan has a decision to make, in terms of what he wants out of rugby.”
As for Sexton and his hopes of ending his time with Racing in glory, the out-half is expected back on the pitch for Saturday evening’s Champions Cup clash with Northampton at Stade Yves du Manoir.
The Ireland international has been missing since the end of August, when he fractured his jaw in a Top 14 meeting with Toulon.
He didn’t have his jaw wired, so there’s a fracture in it. He’ll be hoping he doesn’t get a knee in the jaw this weekend, you know?” jokes O’Gara.
“I think it’s probably great he got an injury too, because he’s coming back fresh now and hopefully there’s a six, seven-month period which he can attack and hopefully win something for us.”
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Dad of five and Ireland and Munster Rugby legend, Ronan O’Gara is leading out the Ben’s Beginners programme, which seeks to encourage Irish mums and dads to get cooking with their children, and nurture a lifelong love for wholesome food.