O'Gara bombshell
93 caps since 2000 but Munster star comes off second best in battle with Sexton for No.10 shirt
Ireland's Ronan O'Gara arrives for squad training at Donnybrook yesterday ahead of Saturday's game against South Africa at Croke Park
Related Articles
Wednesday November 25 2009
IRELAND coach Declan Kidney says the reason he left Ronan O'Gara out of the starting team for this weekend's monumental clash with world champions South Africa is because he needs to "find out more" about Jonathan Sexton.
Munster out-half O'Gara was yesterday overlooked in a meaningful match for the first time in six years with Leinster rival Sexton set to win his second cap in Croke Park on Saturday after a man-of-the-match display in last weekend's 41-6 victory over Fiji at the RDS.
O'Gara shone in the 20-20 draw with Australia but if Sexton produces another tour de force against the Boks, the 24-year-old could go into the new year as first-choice out-half for the Six Nations.
O'Gara has won 93 caps for his country since his debut in 2000 and the 32-year-old has not lost out for a big game since David Humphreys started at out-half against Argentina at the 2003 World Cup -- when O'Gara came off the bench to help secure a narrow victory. However Kidney, who yesterday reasserted his policy of building a squad capable of competing for the 2011 World Cup, believes he now needs to test Sexton against top-quality opposition.
World-class
"I know we have a world-class outside-half in Ronan but we have to find out things about ourselves," said Kidney.
"Jonathan had a good game last week but, with respect, Fiji were short of a few so it was difficult to read. I need to find out more. I thought Ronan was going well, he played well against Australia, we know that.
"Jonathan got a chance last Saturday and he did okay. As a side we need to grow. When do you give him a go? I'd like to be playing Ronan, I'd like to give Jonathan a go but I can have only one, this time I've given it to Jonathan.
"You don't get a whole lot of games to try things because there's such a gap between this one and the next one (Six Nations). If I don't find out things now then I could still be wondering come February. We'll know more come Saturday."
O'Gara is the only unenforced change from the side that drew with the Wallabies with Keith Earls, after two tries against Fiji last weekend, on the left wing for the injured Luke Fitzgerald. Denis Leamy is named among the replacements despite picking up an ankle injury against Fiji. His situation will be monitored over the next few days before a final decision is taken with Sean O'Brien and Kevin McLaughlin in the mix.
Tony Buckley's superb display as a replacement against Fiji has earned his spot on the bench while Peter Stringer replaces Eoin Reddan as back-up scrum-half behind Tomas O'Leary.
- Hugh Farrelly
Irish Independent
