Ronan O'Gara

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Ronan O'Gara
O'Gara kicking for Ireland at the 2007 Rugby World Cup
Full name Ronan John Ross O'Gara
Date of birth (1977-03-07) 7 March 1977 (age 36)
Place of birth San Diego, California, United States
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 83 kilograms (13.1 st)
School Presentation Brothers College, Cork
University University College Cork
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Fly-half
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
1995-1996
1996-2003		 UCC
Cork Constitution
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1997-2013 Munster 240 (2,625)
correct as of 28 Apr 2013.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1999
2000–2013
2001, 2005, 2009		 Ireland A
Ireland
Lions		 1
128
2		 (0)
(1,083)
(0)
correct as of 25 Feb 2013.
Coaching career
Years Club / team
2013- Racing Métro 92
Rugby union career

Ronan John Ross O'Gara (born 7 March 1977 in San Diego, California) is an Irish former rugby union player, who played at fly-half for both Munster and Ireland. He is the all-time highest points scorer for both Munster and Ireland. In addition to his prolific point-scoring, he has captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He is Ireland's most-capped player, and the third most-capped player in rugby union history. He has started at fly-half in victorious European championship campaigns at both provincial and international level. O'Gara was noted for his tactical and goal kicking, and distribution ability, and was regarded as one the most reliable fly-halves in the world.[1] He has scored more tries (16) for Ireland than any other outhalf in history, and he is also Munster's all-time leading points scorer (2,625). O'Gara also holds the Heineken Cup record for points (1,365).[2]

He scored several significant dropped goals for Ireland, including the match winner in the 78th minute of the Wales vs Ireland match in the 2009 Six Nations Championship to secure the Grand Slam, and in the 78th minute of the Italy vs Ireland match in the 2011 Six Nations Championship, which ensured Ireland avoided a first defeat to Italy in the Six Nations.[3]

O'Gara is the fourth highest points scorer in the history of International Rugby Union.[4]

Contents

Early life [edit]

O'Gara was born in San Diego where his father, Fergal, was working as a postdoctoral fellow in microbiology and who was also a wing for the UCG club in Connacht.[5] His family moved back to Ireland while he was still young, eventually settling in the Cork suburb of Blackrock. Ronan was educated at Presentation Brothers College, Cork, and won a Junior Cup medal in 1992 and a Senior Cup medal in 1995. He attended UCC and won an All-Ireland Under-20 medal in 1996. He graduated with a B.A. and Masters Degree in Business Economics in 1999.[6]

Munster [edit]

1997-2007 [edit]

O'Gara made his Munster debut against Connacht in August 1997, scoring 19 points.[7] Longtime Munster and Ireland teammate David Wallace also made his debut in this game. His European debut came against Harlequins in September 1997 in the 1997-98 Heineken Cup. O'Gara kicked 15 points as Munster lost the game 48-40.[8]

He started at fly-half for Munster in the 2000 Heineken Cup Final,[9] which Northampton Saints won 8–9, and again in the 2002 Heineken Cup Final, which Leicester Tigers won 15–9.[10]

O'Gara's last minute conversion against Gloucester on 18 January 2003 helped Munster to a 27-point victory which took them through to the Heineken Cup quarter final; this match has become etched into Munster Rugby's folklore as the Miracle Match.[11]

He was part of the Munster team that won the 2002-03 Celtic League, starting at fly-half and scoring 12 points as Munster beat Neath 37–17 in the Millennium Stadium.[12][13]

O'Gara was again at fly-half when Munster beat Llanelli Scarlets to win the Celtic Cup in May 2005. O'Gara scored 17 points in the game.[14][15]

He played a key part in Munster's Heineken Cup winning team of 2006. O'Gara had an important role in Munster's semi final victory over rivals Leinster by scoring 20 points, including a 80th minute try.[16] On 20 May 2006, O'Gara kicked 13 points in Munster's historic first Heineken Cup Final victory over Biarritz in Cardiff.[17]

On 22 October 2006, O'Gara kicked a last minute penalty from inside his own half to hand Munster a 21–19 victory over Leicester Tigers in the first round of the pool stages at Welford Road.[18] O'Gara scored 15 points in Munster's win in the 2006-07 Heineken Cup pool game against French side Bourgoin on 14 January 2007.[19] He kicked 5 points in Munster's quarter final defeat to Scarlets on the 30 March 2007.[20]

O'Gara playing for Munster
O' Gara kicking in 2006.

2008-2013 [edit]

On 19 January 2008, O'Gara captained Munster to victory against Wasps in their final pool match of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup, knocking the incumbent champions out and making it through to quarter finals of the cup for the tenth consecutive season. On 24 May 2008, O'Gara won his second Heineken Cup medal as Munster beat French team Toulouse 16–13 in the 2008 Heineken Cup Final, with O'Gara scoring 11 points.[21]

O'Gara scored a penalty with three minutes left to beat Montauban in the first game of the 2008-09 Heineken Cup and the first Heineken Cup game in the new Thomond Park.[22] On 13 December 2008, O'Gara became the first and only player to amass over 1,000 points in the Heineken Cup, when he scored a last minute conversion against Clermont to bring his total points from 999 to 1,001.[23]

On 16 May 2010, O'Gara was awarded the ERC European Player Award, crediting him as the player who had made the greatest contribution to European Rugby during the first 15 years of the Heineken Cup. The selection panel consisted of Sir Ian McGeechan, Lawrence Dallaglio, Ieuan Evans, Fabien Galthié, Donal Lenihan, Michael Lynagh, Stuart Barnes, Stephen Jones and Jacques Verdier.[24]

O'Gara crossed the 2,000-point mark for Munster against Ospreys in a Celtic League game on 18 September 2010. In November 2010, he extended his contract with Munster and the IRFU until 2013.[25]

He became the fourth Munster player to win 200 caps in a Celtic League game against Ospreys on 23 April 2011. In May 2011, O'Gara was part of the Munster team that beat arch-rivals, and newly crowned Heineken Cup champions, Leinster 19–9 in the 2011 Magners League Grand Final at Thomond Park.[26]

On 12 November 2011, O'Gara scored an 84th minute drop-goal after 41 phases of play to secure victory for Munster in their opening 2011-12 Heineken Cup Pool One game against Northampton Saints.[27][28] Exactly a week later, in Munster's second Pool One game away to Castres Olympique, O'Gara again scored a match-winning drop-goal, this time in the 81st minute.[29][30]

On 10 December 2011, O'Gara became only the second player, the first being his Munster colleague John Hayes, to win 100 caps in the Heineken Cup. He achieved the feat in Munster's third pool game, away to Scarlets, which Munster won 14–17, with O'Gara contributing 12 points with his boot.[31] The following week, O'Gara scored 14 points in the home tie against Scarlets, helping Munster to a 19-13 victory.[32] He became the most capped Heineken Cup player ever on the 14th January 2012, when Munster played Castres in Round 5 of the 2011-12 Heineken Cup, scoring 16 points along the way in a 26-10 win for Munster.[33] In Munster's final pool game against Northampton Saints, O'Gara scored 24 points as Munster won 51-36.[34]

O'Gara announced in March 2012 that he plans to continue playing rugby until he is 38, quashing rumours of his retirement.[35] O'Gara was out of action with a leg injury after Munster's Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to Ulster, but made his comeback against Ospreys on 11 May 2012.[36]

On 13 October 2012, O'Gara scored a penalty and conversion before going off injured in the 34th minute in Munster's shock 22-17 defeat against Racing Métro 92 in their 2012-13 Heineken Cup opener.[37] As a result, O'Gara missed Munster's bonus-point victory against Edinburgh in Round 2, but he returned and scored 15 points in Munster's next pool game against Saracens, which eventually saw Munster scrape a win against their pool rivals.[38] He became Munster's most capped player ever on 5 January 2013, when he won his 233rd cap against Cardiff Blues. O'Gara was cited and banned for one week after kicking Edinburgh's Sean Cox in the Heineken Cup Round 4 fixure between the two sides, which ruled him out of Munsters 29-6 victory over Racing Metro which secured qualification from the group stages.[39][40] He kicked all of Munster's points in their 12-18 Heineken Cup quarter-final victory over Harlequins on 7 April 2013.[41] O'Gara kicked five points for Munster in their 16-10 Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Clermont Auvergne on 27 April 2013.[42]

O'Gara announced his retirement on 18 May 2013, after weeks of speculation.[43]

Ireland [edit]

1999-2003 [edit]

O' Gara kicking against Scotland during the 2007 Six Nations
O' Gara in a team talk during the 2007 World Cup.

O'Gara won a cap for Ireland A on 9 April 1999, against Italy A during a friendly.[44]

He was selected in Ireland's preliminary training squad for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, but was not chosen to go to the tournament, with the Irish management deciding to take two fly-halves and an extra prop instead of three fly-halves. O'Gara was in the Munster team that beat Ireland in a warm-up for the tournament.[45]

He won his first international cap for Ireland against Scotland on 19 February 2000 during the 2000 Six Nations Championship.[46] O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points in their 18–9 win over Australia at Lansdowne Road in the Autumn Tests of 2002.[47] He was a member of Ireland's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad,[48] and played in all four Pool matches against Romania, Namibia, Argentina and Australia, and in the quarter-final loss to France. In total, O'Gara scored 30 points during his first Rugby World Cup.[49]

2004-2007 [edit]

O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points in a 17–12 win over South Africa at Lansdowne Road on 13 November 2004. Two weeks later, on 27 November, O'Gara kicked a last-minute drop goal to give Ireland a 21–19 victory over Argentina. O'Gara won the Man-of-the-Match awards against both South Africa and Argentina. In 2004, he was named RTE Sports Person of the Year.

In 2006, O'Gara overtook David Humphreys as Ireland's highest points scorer. In the same season, he won the Triple Crown with Ireland in the 2006 Six Nations Championship.

On 11 February 2007, O'Gara scored the first Irish international try at Croke Park in the 2007 Six Nations Championship loss to France. On 10 March 2007, O'Gara once again scored all of Ireland's points to win the Triple Crown at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, beating Scotland 19–18. On 24 August 2007, in Ireland's final 2007 Rugby World Cup warm-up against Italy at Ravenhill in Belfast, O'Gara scored and converted a controversial try nine minutes into stoppage time, winning the match 23–20 after Italy had taken the lead with their own stoppage-time try. O'Gara finished the match with 18 points.

O'Gara was a member of Ireland's 2007 Rugby World Cup squad.[50] He started all four of Ireland's pool games, against Namibia, Georgia, France and Argentina, scoring 19 points in total.[51] Overall the tournament was very disappointing for O'Gara, as Ireland failed to make the quarter finals and untrue rumour's of a breakdown in his marriage as well as a large horse betting debt were reported by the French media.[52]

2008-2011 [edit]

On 9 February 2008, O'Gara became the eighth player in history to score 800 Test points, reaching the mark in Ireland's loss to France in the 2008 Six Nations Championship. On 11 March 2008, O'Gara was named as Ireland team captain for the first time in his career, leading the side in the Six Nations match against England at Twickenham.

O' Gara (Red jersey) celebrates after winning Ireland's first Grand Slam in 61 years in 2009.

On 14 March 2009, O'Gara overtook Jonny Wilkinson to become the top Six Nations point scorer ever. On 20 March 2009, he scored a late drop goal in the 78th minute to beat Wales and secure for Ireland their first Grand Slam for 61 years.[53][54] This was also O'Gara's fourth Triple Crown win.

O'Gara started against Australia in the first match of Ireland's 2009 November Series, scoring 10 points. He then lost his place in the starting line-up to Jonathan Sexton and did not play against Fiji or South Africa. O'Gara played poorly during the first 3 months of the 2009/10 season, but rediscovered his form in Munster's game against USA Perpignan in December. His return to form saw him regain the fly-half spot in Ireland's opening 2010 Six Nations Championship game against Italy and against France, but he was placed back on the bench for the remaining three games. He had a 100% kicking record for the 2010 Six Nations. O'Gara was selected in Ireland's squad for their 2010 Summer Tour to New Zealand and Australia. He captained Ireland in the non-cap match against the Barbarians, a game which Ireland lost 23–29 at Thomond Park. He started against New Zealand and converted 3 tries. He did not play against New Zealand Maori and was on the bench for the Australia test.

O'Gara became the third Irishman to win 100 caps when he came off the bench during Ireland's first 2010 Autumn Series test against South Africa. He started against Samoa and scored 15 points, including a try. He came off the bench against New Zealand and Argentina. He came off the bench against Italy and France in the 2011 Six Nations Championship, and started against Scotland, winning the Man of the Match award in a flawless display.[55] He started against Wales and became the first Irishman to score over 1,000 points in international matches. He came off the bench against England, and his tactical kicking ensured any chance of an England comeback was stopped, preventing them from winning a Grand Slam.

O'Gara was selected in Ireland's squad for the 2011 World Cup warm-ups in August.[56] He was also selected in Ireland's final 30-man squad to travel to New Zealand for the World Cup. He played in all of Ireland's 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C games, coming of the bench against US Eagles and Australia, and starting against Russia. In the Russia game, he became Ireland's highest points scorer in World Cup matches. He was selected ahead of Jonathan Sexton for Ireland's crunch Pool C game against Italy, and scored 16 points as Ireland won 36–6.[57] He retained the fly-half jersey for Ireland's quarter final against Wales, scoring a penalty and a conversion as Ireland lost 22–10.[58]

In an interview after Ireland's historic 15–6 World Cup victory over Australia on 17 September 2011, O'Gara hinted at his possible retirement from international rugby after the conclusion of Ireland's World Cup,[59] but subsequently said that his words had been misinterpreted.[60]

2012-2013 [edit]

O'Gara was selected in Ireland's 24-man squad for the 2012 Six Nations Championship.[61] He joined Brian O'Driscoll as Ireland's all-time caps leader (with 117) when he came on against Wales on 5 February 2012, during Ireland's opening 2012 Six Nations match. He also became the most capped player in Five/Six Nations history in this game, overtaking fellow Irishman Mike Gibson's record of 56. O'Gara became Ireland's most capped player ever against Italy on 25 February 2012, overtaking Brian O'Driscoll's record. He made substitution appearances in all 5 of Ireland's 2012 Six Nations fixtures. O'Gara described his 2012 Six Nations as 'gut-wrenching'.[62]

He came on as a replacement in all three of Ireland's tests against New Zealand in the 2012 tour.[63][64][65] O'Gara won his 125th cap for Ireland on 10 November 2012, as a replacement against South Africa.[66] He also came on as a replacement against Argentina on 24 November 2012.[67]

O'Gara was named in Ireland's training squad for the 2013 Six Nations Championship on 17 January 2013.[68] He made his first appearance of the 2013 Six Nations on 10 February 2013, coming on as a replacement against England.[69] He came off the bench against Scotland in Round 3, having lost out on the 10 jersey to Paddy Jackson after Jonathan Sexton's injury against England.[70] O'Gara was dropped from the Ireland squad for the 2013 Six Nations game against France.[71] He was also left out of the squad for Ireland's final game against Italy, which Ireland lost 22-15, their first ever defeat to the Italians in the Six Nations. O'Gara announced his retirement from all rugby on 18 May 2013.[72]

International Tries [edit]

Ronan O'Gara International Tries - [73]
Try Opposing Team City/Country Venue Competition Year
[1]  Italy Dublin, Ireland Landsdowne Road Six Nations 3 February 2001
[2]  Wales Dublin, Ireland Landsdowne Road Six Nations 3 February 2002
[3]  England London, England Twickenham Six Nations 16 February 2002
[4],[5]  Samoa Apia, Samoa Apia Park Test Match 20 June 2003
[6]  Wales Dublin, Ireland Landsdowne Road Six Nations 22 Feb 2004
[7]  South Africa Dublin, Ireland Lansdowne Road Test Match 13 Nov 2004
[8]  France Paris, France Stade de France Six Nations 11 February 2006
[9]  Australia Melbourne, Australia Telstra Dome Test match 24 June 2006
[10]  Wales Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium Six Nations 4 February 2007
[11]  France Dublin, Ireland Croke Park Six Nations 21 February 2007
[12]  Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Murrayfield Six Nations 10 March 2007
[13]  Italy Rome, Italy Stadio Flaminio Six Nations 17 March 2007
[14]  Italy Belfast, Ireland Ravenhill Test match 24 August 2007
[15]  Samoa Dublin, Ireland Aviva Stadium Test match 13 November 2010
[16]  Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Murrayfield Six Nations 27 February 2011

International Analysis by Opposition [edit]

Against Played Won Lost Drawn Tries Points  % Won
 Argentina
8
6
2
0
0
59
75
 Australia
9
3
5
1
1
74
33.33
 Canada
2
1
0
1
0
22
75
 England
14
8
6
0
1
101
57.14
 France
16
3
12
1
2
127
21.88
 Georgia
2
2
0
0
0
23
100
 Italy
14
14
0
0
3
180
100
 Japan
1
1
0
0
0
23
100
 Namibia
2
2
0
0
0
21
100
 New Zealand*
13
0
13
0
0
38
0
Pacific Islanders
1
1
0
0
0
0
100
 Romania
3
3
0
0
0
14
100
 Russia
2
2
0
0
0
30
100
 Samoa
3
3
0
0
3
62
100
 Scotland
15
11
4
0
2
125
73.33
 South Africa*
8
2
6
0
1
56
25
 Tonga
1
1
0
0
0
10
100
 United States
2
2
0
0
0
18
100
 Wales
14
8
6
0
3
100
57.14
Total 130 73 52 3 16 1083 56.15

Correct as of 17 March 2013[74]

Includes cap for British and Irish Lions *

British and Irish Lions [edit]

2001 [edit]

O'Gara received his first Lions call-up for the tour to Australia in 2001. He played in four tour games, against Western Australia,[75] NSW Waratahs,[76] NSW Country Districts[77] and ACT Brumbies,[78] scoring 26 points overall. However, O'Gara was not selected in the test side. In the game against NSW Waratahs, O'Gara was involved in an off the ball incident with Duncan McRae, which resulted in O'Gara needing eight stitches around his eye and McRae being sent off and later banned for seven weeks.[79]

2005 [edit]

O'Gara earnt his second Lions call-up for the tour to New Zealand in 2005[80] On the tour, he played in 6 tour games, against Bay of Plenty,[81] New Zealand Maori,[82] Otago,[83] Southland,[84] Manawatu[85] and Auckland,[86] scoring 49 points in total. O'Gara also earnt his first Test cap for the Lions on this tour, coming on in the Third Test defeat as a replacement.[87]

2009 [edit]

On 21 April 2009, O'Gara was named as a member of the British and Irish Lions for the 2009 tour to South Africa.[88] On 30 May 2009, O'Gara scored 22 points, including a try, in the opening match of the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa against the Royal XV, in a 25–37 win.[89] On 10 June, O'Gara played against Natal Sharks, scoring 12 points as the tourists won 3–39.[90] On 16 June, O'Gara was in the Lions team that defeated Southern Kings 8–20.[91] On 23 June, he captained the midweek side in a 13–13 draw against the Emerging Springboks, becoming the fourth Irishman to captain the Lions on the 2009 Tour.[92] On 27 June, he came off the bench in the second test match, winning his second Lions cap. He conceded a seventy-ninth minute penalty with the scores level, when he collided with the airborne South African scrum-half Fourie du Preez, thus interfering with a player in the air. Morné Steyn scored the penalty, and won the match and the series for the Springboks.[93] O'Gara played 5 games in total on the 2009 tour, scoring 49 points.

Retirement [edit]

After weeks of speculation following Munster's semi-final defeat to ASM Clermont Auvergne in the 2012-13 Heineken Cup, O'Gara's retirement was confirmed on 18 May 2013. He was offered a one-year contract extension by Munster, but instead decided to take a coaching role outside of Ireland with French side Racing Métro 92.[94][95][96][97][98]

O'Gara used his inaugural column for the Irish Examiner to comment on his decision to retire:

"I have ambitions in the years ahead to coach at a high level and, with this in mind, I can confirm now that I will be joining Racing Métro's coaching staff in July. I am trusting my instinct and it is telling me now is the appropriate time to stop (playing). Could I have played on for another year? Of course I could, but I feel it's getting harder and harder every season and I want to leave the game at the height of my powers. Had I already decided to retire before the (Heineken Cup semi-final) loss in Montpellier last month? I kind of knew. My lads are gone. My boys in the team are gone."

"I retire as Ireland's most-capped player, but the decision of a certain Leinster man to keep playing suggests it won't be for long. Time to hang up the boots Brian (O'Driscoll)! Not being able to close out that Ireland career in my own way is a regret but one that was beyond my control. The only thing I'd say would be that the most pleasing thing was winning the number 10 jersey back for the 2011 World Cup. That confirmed the belief I had in myself and the doggedness I had about myself."[99][100]

IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne issued the following statement upon hearing of O'Gara's retirement:

"The news that Ronan O'Gara has decided to retire from playing draws to a close an incredible career in which he established himself as an iconic figure in Irish rugby over the past decade or so. His arrival on the international scene will be forever remembered for that wonderful image of Ronan and his long-time scrum half partner, Peter Stringer, on their international debut, being shepherded by Mick Galwey as they emotionally lined up for the national anthem. Ronan's career since then has been stellar and marked by his extraordinary ability to deliver, time and again, for Ireland and Munster. His drop goal to seal Ireland's Grand Slam victory at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff being arguably his finest hour."

"Irish rugby will undoubtedly miss his extraordinary talents, but it is pleasing to see him continue his career within the game. We thank him for his total commitment and professionalism and wish him, his wife Jessica and family every good fortune into the future."[101]

Munster Rugby Chief Executive Garrett Fitzgerald also paid tribute to O'Gara:

"In wishing Ronan the very best in the future, I’d like to acknowledge the immense contribution he has made to Munster Rugby and indeed rugby in general in Ireland over the course of what has been a fabulous career. The longevity of that career is a testimony to his dedication, commitment and professionalism and a marvelous example to others."[102]

Munster, Ireland and Lions teammate Donncha O'Callaghan continued the tributes:

"To gauge the impact of his retirement, you have to understand the phenomenal type of character he is. Every day he turns up for training, he brings a standard, sets that standard and never drops it an inch, and expects no less from anyone else no matter, whether that's with Munster, Ireland, the Lions, makes no difference to him. There are so many players, and I include myself top of that list, who are so much better players for being around him."[103]

Records [edit]

O'Gara retired with a number of records, both provincially and internationally.[104]

  • The most caps for Munster with 240.
  • The most points for Munster with 2,625.
  • The most points in the Heineken Cup with 1,365.
  • The most caps for Ireland with 128.
  • The most points for Ireland with 1,083.
  • The most points in the Six Nations with 557.
  • Upon his retirement, his total of 1,083 international points placed him fourth in the all-time list for international points.

Coaching career [edit]

O'Gara confirmed in a statement on 18 May 2013 that he would be joining Racing Métro 92's coaching team in July 2013. He will be the club's kicking coach and will also work with the their youth team. Amongst others, O'Gara will be coaching former Ireland teammate Jonathan Sexton.[105][106] In a radio interview, Sexton expressed his delight at being able to work alongside his former Ireland rival.[107]

Honours [edit]

Cork Constitution [edit]

  • Munster Senior League:
    • Winner (1): 1997–98

Munster [edit]

  • Irish Inter-Provincial Championship:
    • Winner (3): 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01

Ireland [edit]

British and Irish Lions [edit]

  • British and Irish Lions tours:

Personal life [edit]

On 6 July 2006, O'Gara married his longtime girlfriend Jessica Daly. On 9 October 2008, he published Ronan O'Gara: My Autobiography. It was co-written by Denis Walsh, chief sports-writer with the Irish edition of The Sunday Times.[108] An updated version of his autobiography was released in 2009, after Ireland's Grand Slam success.[109] On 11 October 2008, Ronan and wife Jessica had twins, a boy and a girl named Rua and Molly, in Cork University Maternity Hospital.[110] On Wednesday 30 June 2010, Jessica gave birth to the couple's third child shortly before midnight, their second son, JJ. They missed the wedding of Brian O'Driscoll and Amy Huberman because of this.[111] The couple had their fourth child, a boy named Zak, in July 2012.[112][113]

References [edit]

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External links [edit]

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Denis Leamy		 Munster captain
April 2011		 Succeeded by
Paul O'Connell
Preceded by
Brian O'Driscoll		 Ireland captain
March 2008		 Succeeded by
Brian O'Driscoll
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