It's safe to say that La Rochelle and Bordeaux aren't hugely fond of each other at the moment. The Champions Cup last 16 draw pitted the two French sides against each other, in a two legged tie over the past two weekends.
By a quirk of scheduling, they also faced off in the Top 14 the previous weekend, a game which saw La Rochelle coach O'Gara involved in an altercation with his opposite number Christophe Urias.
The feud didn't end there, as O'Gara was called out by Urias in the Bordeaux coach's post-match press conference. Profanity was used, as Urias called the Corkman "unbearable" in a nasty tirade.
The second leg of their last 16 tie took place on Saturday afternoon, and Bordeaux number eight Maama Vaipulu was sent off for a shocking late hit on Jonathan Danty.
The reception he received from Urias when he returned to the bench was questionable, to say the least.
Champions Cup: La Rochelle v Bordeaux feud continues with reckless red card
With La Rochelle 31-13 up from the first leg of the Champions Cup last 16, the tie was as good as over as the second leg against Bordeaux got underway.
25 minutes in to the game, La Rochelle attempted to launch an attack from a tap and go. Bordeaux back row Maama Vaipulu launched himself at Danty with a filthy off-the-ball shoulder charge. It was an idiotic tackle, and one that rightly saw Vaipulu sent off.
Intriguingly, though, he received a handshake from Urias as he left the pitch. He then did a lap of the bench, with most of the Bordeaux replacements giving him what would, at first glance, appear to be congratulatory high-fives. It was certainly a strange reception for a player sent off in a Champions Cup knockout tie.
Given that his tackle left Danty in a heap on the ground, and served no purpose other than leaving a massive hit on an opposition player off the ball, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the handshake showed a level of satisfaction from Urias. It certainly gave off the air of "settling scores" after an ill-tempered few weeks.
Even the BT commentators questioned the reception he received, and criticised the high-fives offered out to Vaipulu.
It's been a bad tempered few weeks in the Champions Cup between La Rochelle and Bordeaux. If the tie wasn't already over, Vaipulu made sure of it early on in France on Saturday.
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