'It's love': Ronan O'Gara has made his peace with Christophe Urios

Ronan O'Gara's acrimonious relationship with rival Top 14 coach Christophe Urios has come to an end with last Saturday’s half-time handshake and a couple of post-match beers. The pair were even sanctioned by league officials in France in 2022 for their tempestuous behaviour towards each other.

At that time, Urios was in charge of Bordeaux. However, he is now at the helm in Clermont and last weekend’s league fixture in La Rochelle resulted in peace between the duo. The home side emerged with a 20-15 victory and at his post-game media briefing, O’Gara told reporters: “It's been five years since I spoke to Christophe, I shook his hand. Now it's love.”

Explained what took place, Urios told RMC: "I don't know if it's love or death. With the accent, we don't understand well (laughs). We argue so much with guys because I'm in my thing, I don't like people coming to bother me, it's part of me. Ronan is a specialist for that.

“I hate people complaining about my players. We had argued several times. And Saturday, at half-time, I found myself face to face with him. It's not that I had to shake his hand. If I didn't want to I wouldn't have done it. I might have even stepped on his foot (laughs).

“But hey, I did it. The score probably helped him come, and he told me that we would see each other at the end of the match. He came with a few beers in the locker room. It made everyone laugh, especially Benji Urdapilleta."

Speaking in 2022 after a touchline clash between the pair, Urios said: "This guy is unbearable. He goes to the stands, he stirs up trouble in the stands. He goes to the edge of the pitch, he stirs up trouble at the edge of the pitch. He is unbearable, he shows off. But I don't care, I have moved on, I don't give a damn about him."