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Brian O'Driscoll shares hi...

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Brian O'Driscoll shares his view on Ronan O'Gara's Crusaders move

98FM
98FM

07:15 24 Nov 2017


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Ronan O'Gara's already had an adventure abroad, having coached at Racing 92 in Paris for the last number of years.

But he will now be going further afield, to the other side of the world no less, as he joins Crusaders in New Zealand to further his coaching credentials.

Brian O'Driscoll spoke briefly to his former Ireland team-mate last night and tonight on our Friday Night BODcast he discussed the Munster legend's decision to take another big step in his coaching development.  

Brian O'Driscoll shares his view on Ronan O'Gara's Crusaders move

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"You have to think it's obviously developing his skill base in a completely new environment. A very forward thinking team down in the Crusaders. Scott Robertson is an impressive young coach," he said.

"He's thinking an investment of a year or two and come back with way more knowledge to be able to find himself into a new head coach role in Europe somewhere. I wonder will it be Munster immediately or will he do something else before he comes back?"

BOD also feels the time O'Gara spent with the Ireland setup for the tour of Japan in the summer helped drive his interest in taking his coaching further.

Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara celebrate after the game against England in the 2011 Six Nations ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

"The week that he spent with Ireland in the summer served him incredibly well. I think that reignited his passion for coaching," he said.

"I think he was unsure whether this was going to be what he wanted to do and I think that anyone who spends time with Joe [Schmidt] and sees the way he goes about his business can only have a positive impact on people. You see it with Andy Farrell, with all the other coaches, Simon Easterby and it's undoubtedly had a positive impact on ROG because he's gone away and thought, 'Right, this is what I want to do in the future. I want to be a head coach. I don't want to be a skills and defence coach. I want to be a head coach. I've got to go and learn my trade in as many arenas as I can'.

"I think that's really clever in what he's doing and he's getting great kudos for it too. It's nice seeing the cycle being broken that we just take Kiwi coaches and now they're getting us. It does speak volumes of what he's done at Racing. I'm sure they've spoken to Dan Carter about what he offers."       


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