Ronan O’Gara criticizes rugby officiating after La Rochelle victory

Following La Rochelle’s 38-13 victory over Clermont, manager Ronan O’Gara criticized the officiating, describing the current state of refereeing as “brutal” and suggesting players are no longer being protected.

O’Gara specifically targeted several incidents, including a late tackle on Nolann Le Garrec and a high tackle during Clermont’s try-scoring sequence involving Davit Niniashvili. Analysis of the footage suggests some of O’Gara’s concerns regarding late contact are supported by the visual evidence, though the speed of play makes referee decisions difficult to interpret in real-time.

In addition to the specific incidents, O’Gara expressed dissatisfaction with the overall quality of French officiating and the use of video review. The match also left La Rochelle facing injury concerns, with Le Garrec suffering from hamstring issues and Niniashvili dealing with a shoulder injury.