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Ronan John Ross O'Gara (born 7 March 1977 in San Diego, California) is an Irish rugby union footballer, occupying the fly-half position for both Munster and Ireland. He toured with the Lions on their tours to Australia in 2001, and New Zealand in 2005; although he only managed one Test cap through the two tours.
O'Gara has earned the record of highest points scorer in the history of the European Rugby Cup, currently totalling over 800 points. O'Gara is also the eighth highest points scorer in the history of international rugby.
2006 was one of O'Gara's best seasons, overtaking David Humphreys' Ireland points record and winning the Triple Crown with Ireland in the Six Nations, as well as being an instrumental figure in Munster's Heineken Cup winning side and a third place finish in the Celtic League.
[edit] Notable performances
- O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points in a 17-12 win over the South Africa Springboks 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. As in the Springboks Test, O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points. O'Gara won the man-of-the-match awards against both South Africa and Argentina.
- O'Gara scored all of Ireland's points in their 18-9 win over Australia at Lansdowne Road in the Autumn Tests of 2002.
- 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.
- On 20 May 2006, O'Gara kicked 13 points in Munster's historic first Heineken Cup Final victory over Biarritz in Cardiff.
- On 21 October 2006, O'Gara kicked a last minute penalty from inside his own half to hand Munster a 21-19 victory over the Leicester Tigers in the first round of the pool stages at Welford Road.
- On 11 February 2007, O'Gara scored the first Irish international try at Croke Park in the Six Nations 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 versus Scotland by 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 a stoppage-time try. O'Gara finished the match with 18 points.
- On 19 January 2008 O'Gara captained Munster to beat the London Wasps in their final pool match of the 2008 Heineken Cup, knocking the incumbent champions out and making it through to quarter finals of the cup for the tenth consecutive season.
- 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 Six Nations.
- 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.
- On 24 May 2008, Munster won the Heineken Cup for the second time beating French team Toulouse by 3 points: 16-13.
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