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Ronan O'Gara to face two Top 14 disciplinary hearings in a week
By Liam Heagney
La Rochelle boss Ronan O'Gara is to face two Top 14 disciplinary hearings in a week following incidents during recent matches in the French league. That Irishman was informed last week that there would be a hearing on April 6 regarding his alleged behaviour during his team's March 26 home win over Racing 92, his former club.
The statement at the time confirming there was a case to answer stated that O'Gara wasn't suspended pending the hearing. That left him free to continue his work as the La Rochelle boss and he went on to become embroiled in another incident during last Saturday's Top 14 win away to Bordeaux.
The date for this second hearing is April 13, four days after La Rochelle visit Bordeaux again for next Saturday's opening leg their round of 16 Heineken Champions Cup tie. A Ligue Nationale de Rugby statement read: "At the end of the meeting between Bordeaux and La Rochelle, the citing commissioner as well as the referees number four and number five reported the behaviour of Ronan O'Gara, the La Rochelle coach.
"The situation in question is likely to constitute an infringement of the general regulations of the LNR and the FFR. O'Gara and the La Rochelle club are summoned before the disciplinary and rules committee at its meeting on Wednesday, April 13. O'Gara is not suspended pending this hearing."
Bordeaux boss Christophe Urios, with whom O'Gara clashed at Stade Chaban-Delmas, has also been informed he will face the same charge as his La Rochelle rival on the same April 13 hearing date.
The LNR statement announcing the first O'Gara hearing on April 6 again outlined that the behaviour of the Irishman warranted their attention. It read: "At the end of the La Rochelle versus Racing 92 meeting, referees number four and number five reported the behaviour of O'Gara. The situation in question is likely to constitute an infringement of the general regulations of the LNR and the FFR.
"O'Gara and the La Rochelle club are summoned before the disciplinary and rules committee at its meeting on Wednesday, April 6. O'Gara is not suspended pending this hearing."
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Cane shouldn’t have been one last year, based purely on performances. Lakai is as close to a like for like of swap of Savea you’re ever likely to find, based on his short career so far at least. He has many of the same qualities - very strong ball carrier, great at the breakdown, and an absolute work horse on defence. I feel like he and Sititi could lead the way in the loose at the next WC.
I think we have become obsessed with replacing Kaino with someone exactly like him. Kaino was a perfect foil for the other loose forwards we had at the time. Based on the talent we have around at the moment those players could be made up in the aggregate by three players who are all exception all rounders - Lakai, Sititi, and Savea. Missing some height for sure but Sititi’s defensive work in the line out last year was phenomenal. He gets off the ground so quickly and was able to steal a couple of balls off the top of the springbok line out.
If our young locks coming through can actually stay fit long enough to get selected, it seems inevitable that Va’ai could end up in a hybrid 6/lock role.
Go to commentsWas strange game, full of errors and the usual refereeing decisions. Both teams suffered as a result but Ospreys discipline was a major factor. I think this weekend will be different as the Ospreys will pick a full strength team but Scarlets will gain confidence in the fact that only Tipuric was missing in the forwards and they dominated that pack for the whole 80 minutes. If they can repeat that dominance at scrum and breakdown then the Scarlets backs will always have more to offer on the front foot.
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