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O'Gara has been assistant coach with Racing since 2013. Bryan Keane/INPHO

Ronan O'Gara leaves Racing 92 to take up coaching role in New Zealand

The former Ireland out-half is joining the Crusaders.

RACING 92 HAVE this morning announced that Ronan O’Gara has been granted an early release from his contract with the French club to take up a coaching role with Super Rugby champions the Crusaders.

Former Ireland out-half O’Gara, who joined Racing as an assistant coach in July 2013, will begin his new role in New Zealand from 1 January 2018.

In a statement, Racing said O’Gara was keen to take up the opportunity to join the Crusaders which will allow him to ‘enrich his rugby knowledge and improve his training methods.’

The 40-year-old had been under contract with the Top 14 club until 2019, but his move to New Zealand to work alongside Crusaders head coach Scott Roberston will be seen as the next step on the coaching ladder for O’Gara.

Crusaders beat the Lions to win a first Super Rugby title in nine years in August, and are widely-regarded as one of the best club teams in world rugby.

The Corkman has made no secret of his desire to become Munster head coach at some point in the future but has always stressed the important of earning experience elsewhere first.

O’Gara’s contract with Racing will expire next month and the club’s president, Jacky Lorenzetti, and coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers have wished him luck on his move to Christchurch.

The 2018 Super Rugby season gets underway at the end of February and runs until August.

The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):

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