Ireland star Ronan O’Gara retires from rugby

Dublin: Ronan O’Gara, Ireland’s most capped rugby player and top points scorer, has announced his retirement and will take up a coaching role at French club Racing Metro.

The 36-year-old fly-half scored 1,083 points in 128 matches for Ireland and won two Test caps across three tours with the British and Irish Lions (2001, 05 and 09).

O’Gara said Saturday that “I have ambitions in the years ahead to coach at a high level” and is “hugely excited about the prospect” of working as a specialist kicking coach at big-spending Racing, who has recently signed Ireland fly-half Jonathan Sexton.

Munster, O’Gara’s club side since 1997, says his feat of scoring a record 1,365 points in the European Cup is “unlikely to be surpassed”.

O’Gara played a record 240 games for Munster.