Ronan O’Gara has ruled out joining the French coaching setup for the World Cup.
The former Ireland out-half said in his weekly Irish Examiner column that conversations he held with the French union never progressed to a detailed proposition and that the move is now “off the table”.
O’Gara is currently working with the Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders, in New Zealand.
“The Crusaders are on a gap week from the Super Rugby season, so it was perfect for thinking space,” he wrote.
“One of the things I promised with this column is keeping it factual.
“So while there has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks about me going to the World Cup as part of the French backroom team, I did say all along there was nothing concrete to report. And so it has proved.
“I had conversations with senior people in the FFR and I was interested in a detailed proposition, but the conversation never got to that point, to the bit where a specific role working with specific people was on the table.
“I’ve heard no more in recent weeks, so I can assume it’s off the table now.”
You can read his full column previewing this weekend’s Champions Cup semi-finals here.