RONAN O’GARA has cleared up the moment he appeared to give a thumbs up in response to being booed by Leinster fans.
Loud jeers rang out around the Aviva Stadium every time he was shown on the big screen during Leinster’s surprisingly one-sided win.
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But the La Rochelle boss claimed all was not as it seemed.
In his weekly Off the Ball Breakfast slot, he said: “No, no. The thumbs up was aimed at one of my best friends.
“He was in the ground. A Cork guy who’s lived in Dublin all his life and he was in a La Rochelle jersey.
“I hadn’t seen him and it was great just to see him when you’re in the middle of getting a battering to see one of your buddies there.
“I lost concentration for a few seconds.”
Not that the 47-year-old took it to heart.
He downplayed the talking point as nothing more than a frivolous bit of fun on the part of Blues supporters.
“In a way it’s the ultimate compliment. Let’s not get sensitive about this.
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“It’s what happens when you’re at the top level coaching a French team against an Irish team.
“A team that we have created an enormous amount of hurt for in the last few years.
“So it’s the minimum (you’d expect). It’s okay, I’m not sensitive about that.
“I have huge time for their players and coaching staff. I was in their dressing room afterwards.
“They’re a really good group. It’s just that two into one doesn’t go. You’re trying to win.”
REBEL YELLS OF SUPPORT
Later on in the chat the noticeably downbeat Irish legend admitted he’d chatted with two other Cork sporting greats in the days since their reign as European champs came to an end.
Roy Keane and Sonia O’Sullivan texted him with hard luck messages in a nice show of Rebel solidarity.
Leinster meanwhile will face English Premiership leaders Northampton Saints in the semi-finals Croke Park on Saturday May 4.
At the time of writing, ticket sales have already exceeded 66,000 with a sell-out not looking beyond the realm of possibility.
