It’s a look behind the curtain, as French television channel Canal+ aired scenes from inside the camp of two-time European champions, La Rochelle. But in the aftermath, it’s coach Ronan O’Gara’s French team talk that has people talking.

Check out the footage here, as the La Rochelle boss delivers an impassioned pep talk to his side. At this point it’s been seen over 3.5m times.

As Joe Naughton says, it is “the most Irish team talk, while actually speaking French.”

O’Gara – who extended his contract with the French outfit until 2027 – joined the side in 2019, and has enjoyed an incredible rise with them. Before joining Les Maritimes the 128-cap Irish fly-half and British & Irish Lion has also assisted at Canterbury Crusaders and Racing 92.

Related: The Making of La Rochelle

Ronan O’Gara’s French, in his own words

Back in July of 2022, O’Gara addressed this very thing with the Irish Mirror, when he surmised that, “The boys can have a good laugh at me trying to express myself in Cork French.”

He also said: “I’d be in a situation where I didn’t have the words and needed a solution so it would be like ‘help me here boys’.

“But once you ask for help, people help.

“I’m coaching in French but I don’t have to write emails in French… I just need to understand the vocab associated with getting my point across.

You can talk 70% in French, 20% in English and make it up for the other 10%.”

We find it pretty endearing – and you can see the passion that has helped La Rochelle thrive. What do you make of the clip? Let us know via rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com or on social media.

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