O'Gara axed by Ireland for France clash

AFP
Ireland's Ronan O'Gara attends the Captain's Run, on October 1, 2011 at the Otago stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand

DUBLIN (AFP) –

Ireland’s Ronan O’Gara attends the Captain’s Run, on October 1, 2011 at the Otago stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand. Ireland’s most-capped player O’Gara was on Sunday left out the Six Nations squad to face France in Dublin next weekend, raising more doubts over the 36-year-old’s international future.

Ireland’s most-capped player Ronan O’Gara was on Sunday left out the Six Nations squad to face France in Dublin next weekend, raising more doubts over the 36-year-old’s international future.

The veteran fly-half was ignored by coach Declan Kidney when the 32-man squad was revealed for Saturday’s clash, a blow which looks certain to end his 128-Test career.

O’Gara has struggled for form this season, looking well below-par in the games against England and Scotland where he shouldered a large share of the blame for the 12-8 defeat after coming on as a second-half replacement.

Kidney has selected injury-hit Jonathan Sexton, Paddy Jackson and Ian Madigan as his three fly-half options.

Jackson made his debut against Scotland but struggled with his goal-kicking before making way for O’Gara.

Ireland squad for the Six Nations match against France in Dublin on Saturday:

Rory Best (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Robbie Diack (Ulster), Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Ulster), Craig Gilroy (Ulster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Dave Kearney (Leinster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), David Kilcoyne (Munster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Mike McCarthy (Connacht), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster), Tommy O’Donnell (Munster), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Eoin O’Malley (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Devin Toner (Leinster) Dan Tuohy (Ulster).

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