Ronan O'Gara has admitted his La Rochelle team are in "freefall" and that he needs to find a spark to ensure it does not finish on a real low-point. Still, he could appreciate Jack Crowley and his drop goal heroics.
The Munster legend has brought La Rochelle to three Champions Cup finals (winning two) and two Top 14 deciders, in the past five seasons, but this season has been a struggle. Stade Rochelais has now lost 14 of their 25 games, is out of the Champions Cup and 10th in the league.
The only chink of light for O'Gara's sight is the congested nature of the Top 14 table. They have 40 points, but sixth placed Clermont are only four points away.
Following Munster's 25-24 defeat of La Rochelle, O'Gara admitted to a couple of surreal moments as he watched his old team play the side he has been coaching since 2020.
For a second," he told reporters, "I thought Jack Crowley was with me, I was like 'f**k, that's the wrong team'.
"I was hoping that would turn our season today but we have to go back to the drawing board now and see what can be resurrected."
There was something cinematic about how Crowley was able to emulate his rugby hero, O'Gara, and slot a clutch Champions Cup drop goal in the closing stages. It was a kick his fellow Corkman would have been proud of.
That drop goal gave Munster breathing room on the scoreboard, and proved the matchwinner as La Rochelle bagged a late, converted try. O'Gara gave a great answer when asked about Crowley's heroics.
SEE ALSO: La Rochelle vs. Munster: All The Big Moments, Talking Points And Full Player Ratings
Ronan O'Gara on Jack Crowley drop goal
Jack Crowley has now scored three drop goals in his professional career - the URC semi-final win over Leinster (2023), Ireland's narrow win over Argentina (2024), and the dagger that did for La Rochelle, on Saturday.
O'Gara's Munster and Ireland career were full of big drop goals, but the La Rochelle coach had no hint of bitterness as he reflected on the match-winning moment. Asked, post-match, about his connection with Munster, O'Gara expanded on that and praised the province's half-back duo.
"It's important," he began. "I'm obviously gutted but I think you've got to compliment and congratulate Munster on how they constructed their victory.
It was pretty ironic how they won it, getting it out to eight points with a peach of a drop goal. I was thinking 'that little f**ker'.
"I've seen a lot of good drop goals but that's a top-class one at a moment that just probably takes the decision away from the referee too, with a five-point game, maybe you're thinking okay we're going to have a chance.
"But it was a brilliant kick. Craig Casey kicked brilliantly and they took their opportunities, we didn't. You can analyse deeply into it but that's a pretty fast summation of it."
Le drop 🇫🇷#SUAF 🔴 | #LARvMUNpic.twitter.com/VPm5e7f72U
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) April 5, 2025
O'Gara and his battle-weary La Rochelle side will now have a weekend off, as the Champions Cup moves to the quarter final stages.
His job will be to get his side geared up for a winning end to the season. They have not won a match since January 3 and their menacing aura has slipped. Up next is Bayonne, at home, before they travel to Bordeaux-Beglés on April 26th.
