17 years on, it still rankles.
Ronan O’Gara had a fantastic 1999/2000 season and he was instrumental in Munster reaching their first ever Heineken Cup final. In 14 games, O’Gara scored 225 points [2 tries, 34 conversions, 44 penalties, 3 drop goals] and he was part of a promising half back pairing with Cork Con teammate Peter Stringer.
The young outhalf played starring roles in quarter- and semi-final wins over Stade Francais and Toulouse. Munster relied on him heavily to reach that final in Twickenham but, unfortunately for all concerned with the province, goal-kicking form deserted him in that crucial game.
O’Gara missed three penalties and a conversion attempt, after David Wallace scored a try, and a few drop goal efforts. With Northampton Saints 9-8 ahead after 79 minutes, Munster were awarded a penalty from the same spot where the Cork native had missed an earlier attempt.
Backing himself, and with the backing of Munster captain Mick Galwey, O’Gara stepped up for what would prove a winner-takes-all kick. TV commentary at the time suggested he had landed the kick – and O’Gara himself felt it was tracking that way – but it pulled left and wide. It was Munster’s last chance and it was gone.
Speaking about that game, 17 years on, O’Gara says his final kick is the one he would dearly love to get back. He told us:
“Northampton, 2000. The final in Twickenham. The last one because, you know, winners takes it all.
“It would have been a great reward for the legends of the game that paved the way for everything that’s good about Munster Rugby.
“All the guys that never got the opportunity in 2006 [when Munster won the Heineken Cup]. It’s not great leaving down great warriors, you know? And they were great warriors, those guys.”
The outhalf gets his fair share of pressure to go with the glory but, ultimately, O’Gara knows was always conscious of the team mentality. His teammates put him in those drop goal positions and won those penalties in the heat of battle. That is what grates him – he could not reward their effort with a deserving win.
Heineken Cups followed in 2006 and 2008 but O’Gara has not forgotten the men that helped make the Munster legend.
It says so much for O’Gara’s character that he did not let that cup final heartbreak define him as a player. He wore his scars in the off season and, in the first game of the 2000/01 season, stepped up to kick all 21 points [five penalties, two drop goals] in a 21-16 victory over a good Ulster side at Ravenhill.
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