While Ronan O'Gara had every right to be frustrated after La Rochelle's loss to Leinster last weekend, he was incredibly forthcoming when speaking to the media in the direct aftermath of the game.
The Cork native would admit that Leinster had outplayed his team in every facet of the game on the day, something that resulted in a 40-13 defeat for the French club at the Aviva Stadium. Of course, this is quite the contrast to the previous Champions Cup knockout matches between the sides, fixtures La Rochelle had won three years on the spin.
A few days may have passed since the game, but Ronan O'Gara has not softened his views on his team's performance.
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Ronan O'Gara gives remarkable summary of La Rochelle's Leinster loss
La Rochelle have been absolutely incredible in the Champions Cup in recent seasons, reaching the final in three successive seasons and winning the last two editions. As a result, it would be fair to expect that they would stumble in the competition at some point.
However, Ronan O'Gara is continuing to make no excuses for his team's performance last weekend.
Speaking to the French media yesterday (as reported by Rugby Rama), he took full responsibility for what he labelled as a 'shameful' performance in Dublin.
I'm still digesting it but it's getting worse and worse, day by day. I am supported by my deputies, I am completely taken by the defeat. Or rather the way.
This falls into the “shameful” category. I am very disturbed… It was a dark day for the club and for me. I have to take responsibility for it...
But it's not the players, it's me. They play according to my vision of things. So it's my fault and it weighs heavily on me. I have to look in the mirror and come back stronger.
Great players and leaders cannot miss this opportunity and give away the match two minutes after returning from the locker room, it is not possible. We didn't respect the jersey.
I imagined a hundred results when I went jogging on Saturday morning in Dublin but I never thought of a 40-13! Maybe my expectations are too high? When you get eliminated like that as a double European champion, you lose a lot of respect.
Those are certainly not the words of a man who is willing to gloss over last week's result.
Ronan O'Gara and La Rochelle still have plenty to play for this season, with the club still on the hunt for a first ever Top 14 title. They lost to Toulouse in last season's decider, and without the distractions of European competition over the coming weeks, they may well fancy their chances of going one better this time around.
Still, there is no doubt that their head coach has been taken aback by the manner of his side's loss to Leinster.
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