Features

Ireland's veteran out-half talks about learning from past World Cup experiences, the battle with Jonny Sexton and how Quade Cooper can be "got at".

By Conor Heneghan

The great debate rambles on. We're already into the midst of the World Cup and the battle for the coveted number ten jersey is as fierce as it has been for a long time.

After his magnificent showing against England in the Six Nations and his Heineken Cup final heroics in Cardiff earlier this year, Jonny Sexton looked to be a shoo-in as first choice out-half, but a couple of shaky performances combined with Ronan O’Gara’s impressive displays means that Declan Kidney has a selection headache on his hands yet again.

Before he headed off to New Zealand, O’Gara spoke to us about his experiences of two previous World Cups and of course, the battle with Sexton for the starting out half slot

JOE: Jonny Sexton finished the last campaign in firm possession of the number ten jersey, but the number 10 jersey is up for grabs again.

Ronan O’Gara: I don’t know is the jersey up for grabs. There are two of us fighting for it and it’s interesting. A week is a long time in sport and there’s going to be different opinions from all kinds of people and it goes back to clichés; I control what I can control.

The logic is that both of us (O'Gara and Sexton) are going to have roles to play.

I’ll be looking to make an impact and that’s basically the bottom line. I’ll make sure I’m in good condition physically and mentally. I haven’t even thought about the competition for the jersey, what sport has told me is that it’s very rare that I don’t have an impact in games so I’m going to be prepared for that.

There will hopefully come a time in the World Cup when I’m needed, whether it’s to start a game or come on and win games, it’s all to play for and it makes the debate more appealing to everyone at this stage.

JOE: The debate over who should start seems to depend on what day of the week it is from the likes of us (the media), but you seem to be a dab hand at handling the hype. Do you completely ignore it?

ROG: Well I ignore ye, but other people don’t and that’s the problem (laughs)!

You know, I think Jonny is obviously a really good player and Leinster are a really good team and you benefit from that. As an out half, you’re dependent on how your overall team is going. Last year, Leinster went better than we (Munster) did, but we came back strong when there weren’t a lot of things going for us and that’s the sign of good players and the sign of a good team.

[Australia out-half] Quade Cooper mixes from the superlative to the very, very ordinary

The logic is that both of us are going to have roles to play. You can’t be pig-headed about it and say you’re going to start and finish every game, I don’t think it’s realistic in this competition, but hopefully we’ll get the best out of the two of us, so we’ll just see what happens.

JOE: Is there tension between you and Jonny, does there have to be?

ROG: I don’t think there’s any tension there. I think there’s a big determination there and I think there’s a big willingness to win from both of us. I don’t know him as well as I’d know David Humphreys at this stage, but what I do know is that he’s really keen to succeed and that’s what you have to admire about him.

JOE: How do you deal with being in the team one day and out the next?

ROG: From my point of view, I’m watching the game trying to read it and trying to judge how it’s going to go and then it’s like, ‘alright ROG, on you go’, but it’s not easy. You think you’re warmed up, but it’s far easier to start.

Don’t get me wrong, when you get the opportunity for your country you do that and sometimes people forget you are representing your country; you’re doing it essentially for the people of Ireland and for yourself and it gives me fierce pride inside that I can stroll around and hear people, say ‘ROG, you’ve done well’.

JOE: What’s your abiding memory from the two previous World Cups?

ROG: They were completely contrasting. I was fighting for my position in 2003, I went on a summer tour to Tonga and Samoa, played in incredible conditions and played with a group of players that were really keen to try and get to the World Cup. It was a good World Cup, but it was the same, once we beat Argentina, we took our foot off the pedal and didn’t believe mentally we could beat Australia. That game was up for grabs and we were soft on ourselves.

Then ‘07, it was disappointing obviously. When you go through your career, you kind of think sometimes that you work hard and you work hard for things to go well, but sometimes less is more and I think it’s only when you get to my age that you appreciate that. After one week things weren’t going well and we tried to work harder and harder, but then come game day, we were flat and dead.

At the time, you don’t think that, it’s only when you think back so much about these things that you see what improvements can be made and that’s something that struck a chord with me.

Q: Looking ahead to the big game against Australia, and their out-half Quade Cooper. What do you make of him?

ROG: I think he mixes from the superlative to the very, very ordinary. There’s no doubting he’s an unbelievable talent and he can do outrageous things, but at the end of the day it’s about winning test matches. Yeah, he is dangerous, but you know, sometimes these fellas can be got at too.

Wallabies half back star Quade Cooper

Obviously he’ll be a key player for them and his footwork looks incredible, but yeah, I think there’ll be opportunities for our team when we play against them as well, I feel. There’s no denying he’s a very, very good player but all of us (out halves), we can be got at in all different ways and I don’t think he’s any different.

Q: Can Ireland beat Australia?

Yeah, I’d like to think so. It’s all good talking about New Zealand and stuff, but we’ve yet to beat them so we can’t really talk about that. It’s a goal none of the current squad have ever achieved and it’s something that hurts an awful lot, but with Australia, there’s an opportunity there.

After winning the Super XV and the Tri-Nations, their confidence will be up and they’ll fancy it big time, but the belief in the squad is that we’re obviously looking to win the game.