Ronan O’Gara has again found himself in trouble with French referees after receiving a red card in the second half of La Rochelle’s 53-33 defeat away to Pau on Sunday evening.

It all started when La Rochelle’s Antoine Hastoy received the fastest red card in the history of the Pro 14 when he was sent off by ref Jeremy Rozier after 34 seconds. The La Rochelle outhalf leapt to collect a high ball and his studs made contact near the face of Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang of Pau.

Photos after the incident showed Grandidier-Nkanang had a gash on his neck caused by Hastoy’s studs.

En effet, c’est assez évident qu’Antoine Hastoy n’a pas touché le visage d’Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang avec son crampon. pic.twitter.com/8Jk0bdVe8B

— Gauthier Baudin (@GauthierBaudin) November 30, 2025

Rozier consulted with his TMO and decided to issue a red card.

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O’Gara took the unusual step of approaching Rozier on the side of the pitch after the red card had been handed out and immediately received a stern warning from the ref, who said:

“I hear: “Good Jérémy!” when I make my decision. The rule is very clear. The player is bleeding, the foot goes directly to the head, it’s a red card. I don’t want to hear you. If I hear you another time, I’ll send you back to the stands. Is that clear to you?

In the fifty-seventh minute of the game, O’Gara was the one who received the carton rouge after losing his temper after a curious decision where Rozier failed to penalise Pau defender for coming in from the side.

Pas souvent d’accord avec Ronan O’Gara mais il faut bien lui concéder d’avoir raison sur ce point :
le saké c’est dégueulasse. pic.twitter.com/OxqF5NcwNQ

— Boucherie Ovalie (@BoucherieOvalie) December 1, 2025

After the match, O’Gara addressed the red card incident and bemoaned the lack of clarity over what constitutes yellow and red card offenses in rugby. He also said the incident would only feed his “crazy” reputation.

 

The referee tells me that he saw him play.

He did it on purpose, he saw the blood so I said to him: “everything is decided by blood?”

I’m not an expert but I find that there is a lot of strength in the chest too.

So, are there any binding circumstances?

I think so.

If he kicks him in the head on purpose, he gets a red card and a six-month suspension.

But that is not the spirit and the goal.

What is a red card, what is an orange card, what is a yellow card?

We are all lost. Sunday evening, prime time, 30 seconds, boom. If there is someone who is being an idiot, or who deserves a red card.

If it’s clear and clear: red.

But I don’t think it was clear cut.

It’s just going to continue to feed my crazy reputation.

(quotes translated by google)

The Corkman received a five-week touchline ban last May for “actions against a match official“.

The result leaves La Rochelle in tenth in the Top 14 with five win and six losses from 11 games.

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