Gareth Dinneen explains the culture with the Crusaders and what O’Gara can expect.

It came as a bit of a surprise when Ronan O’Gara announced he would be joining the Racing 92 backroom team as a defence coach when he called time on his playing career in 2013, but his latest move is as much of a surprise, if not bigger.

O’Gara, along with his Parisian club have announced that his contract will be ended in January so that he and his family can make the move to Christchurch to be a backs coach with the reigning Super Rugby champions the Crusaders.

It’s well known that the former Munster player wants to broaden his horizons in terms of coaching as best he can, before he eventually, as he has said on a number of occasions, returns to Ireland to fulfil his ambition of coaching in his home country.

Top o' the mornin' to ya! We have some exciting news to start your day, to be sure – @RonanOGara10 is our new Backs Coach! Read more at https://t.co/tmWAOQS6CB #crusadeon pic.twitter.com/tjPcY6WZvH

— Crusaders (@crusadersrugby) November 22, 2017

It seems like the perfect move for the Racing coach, moving to a rugby mad country, joining the most successful club in Super Rugby and getting to know a totally new style rugby played in the Southern Hemisphere compared to that of it’s European counterparts.

The reaction from both Irish and New Zealand media outlets has been very positive, with a number of former players who have played with or against the number 10 saying it’s a great move for both parties, most notably All Blacks legend Richie McCaw who told the Irish Independent that O’Gara’s different point of view will be a huge benefit to his former club

“It’s quite exciting from a Crusaders point of view to have a first Northern Hemisphere influence,”

“I’m guessing that the time Ronan had at Racing around guys like Dan Carter and Casey Laulala, he felt it was the right place to go. The Crusaders boys will ask the same questions. There is no doubt that he has a pretty good rugby brain and he will bring new ideas that the Crusaders boys will be keen to hear.”

“The Crusaders are traditionally the most successful franchise in Super Rugby. The culture and what the team stands for has been pretty well set up right from day one, led by guys like Wayne Smith and Todd Blackadder.

“It’s got a great culture, it’s just come off winning the last Super Rugby. It’s a pretty successful franchise that do things pretty damn well.

“The guys there are always driven to be better and will want to pick Ronan’s brain for experiences.

“I think it will be great. I’m sure he’ll have different ways of looking at things, he’ll probably take a while to see how the Crusaders work.

“It’s not as if he’s coming in as head coach. He’s obviously got his philosophy on how the team goes and build on what they did last year… having O’Gara there to add something different is a pretty good move.”

Along with Alistair Rodgers of the Blues, O’Gara is the only non New Zealand coach involved with any of the Kiwi Super Rugby side’s which suggest’s he’s highly thought of not only in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Crusaders head coach, Scott Robertson, was the man behind bringing the Cork native to the Christchurch outfit and knew he wanted him to join his coaching ticket when the two met for a coffee whilst Robertson was in the Northern Hemisphere assiting Robbie Deans as a coach with the recent Barbarians side.

Speaking to Stuff.co.nz, the former Perpignan coach said he was in awe of how well regarded his new backs coach is in his home country, and with one answer knew he was the right man to replace Leon McDonald

“I was fortunate to catch-up with him for lunch in Ireland before the Springboks test match and I just couldn’t believe how much of a superstar he is over there,” Robertson said. “I was blown away by how much he is held in such high regard.

“The biggest thing that sold it for me was when I asked ‘why would you like to be a Crusader? And he told me it was the holy grail’. That was enough for me.”

Limerick man exiled in New Zealand Gareth Dinneen is co-founder of the1014.com a popular New Zealand based rugby website with a world wide reach. He chatted with Sporting Limerick about what Rog can expect down in New Zealand as well as expanding on some of the differences in rugby culture between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Watch below to get a feel of who the move is being perceived in New Zealand.

WATCH: the1014 interview with Scott Robertson (Crusaders head coach)