Ronan O'Gara extends La Rochelle stay until 2031
Ronan O'Gara has extended his stay as La Rochelle head coach until 2031. The club announced the agreement on 14 September 2026 under the headline "Ronan O'Gara prolonge jusqu'en 2031 !" It is a new four-year contract, the Irish Examiner reported.
O'Gara is a former Ireland international fly-half, the playmaker who steers the attack and takes many of the kicks at goal. He joined La Rochelle in 2019, BBC Sport reported. Before that he had coaching spells with Racing 92 in France and the Crusaders in New Zealand.
La Rochelle lost the 2021 European Champions Cup final, the decider in Europe's top club competition. They came back to win it in 2022 and again in 2023. Those back-to-back titles were the club's first major silverware.
La Rochelle finished sixth in the Top 14 last season, France's top league, which secured a return to the Investec Champions Cup. They lost to Stade Francais in the quarter-finals of the French play-offs, the knockout stage that decides the champions. In Europe they dropped down into the Challenge Cup, the second-tier event, and were knocked out by Ulster in the quarter-finals.
The new Top 14 season has started with two wins. La Rochelle opened with a home win over Toulouse. They followed it with a 21-20 away win at Toulon. Two wins from two.
The new deal ends talk of a move into international rugby, France 24 reported. His future had been an ongoing topic at Stade Rochelais for several months before it was finalised, according to L'Equipe.
What makes this stand out is the length. Very few head coaches in top-level rugby stay in one place for more than a few seasons. If O'Gara sees out this contract, he will have led La Rochelle for 12 years.
For fans, this means clarity. The players know who is in charge. The club can plan recruitment and youth development around a settled coach. And supporters can look ahead to Europe's top table with the man who took them there still at the helm.
