Ireland's record points scorer, RONAN O'GARA is rightly acknowledged as one of the best out-halves in the business - cool under pressure, he boasts a brilliant kicking and tactical boot and has emerged as a world class game-breaker in recent years.
The Six Nations' top points scorer during the 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons and also the holder of the Heineken Cup's points-scoring record, O'Gara was born in the American city of San Diego and educated at Presentation Brothers College, Cork and University College Cork.
His fledgling career was taking off just when rugby turned professional - he won a Munster Senior Schools Cup medal with Pres in 1995, and followed that two years later with an All-Ireland Under-20 winners' medal with UCC.
The following year he helped the Ireland Under-21s to a Triple Crown success, and also guided Cork Constitution to an AIB League Division One title in 1999. Senior international recognition followed in February 2000 when he debuted for Ireland against Scotland, kicking two penalty goals and two conversions in the process.
O'Gara bedded in quickly with Ireland and battled with Ulster's David Humphreys for the Ireland number 10 jersey over the coming seasons until the latter's retirement in 2006.
By that time O'Gara was the country's first choice out-half and since Munster's 2006 Heineken Cup win, he has gone from strength to strength with his four tries in this year's Six Nations real evidence of that.
Some highlights of his career to date include scoring a then Six Nations record of 30 points against Italy in 2000, a record-equalling haul of ten conversions against Japan in 2000, Lions tours in 2001 and 2005 (he was a Test player for the latter), playing his part in Ireland's three recent Triple Crown wins and scoring 13 points in Munster's Heineken Cup final defeat of Biarritz last year.
He overtook Humphreys as Ireland's record points scorer in the 2006 Six Nations opener against Italy, during which he scored 16 points including his 8th Test try. He is currently seventh on the list of world rugby's top points scorers, having recently passed Scotland's Gavin Hastings (733).
Memorably, O'Gara was the first points and try scorer for Ireland in their first ever outing at Croke Park this year, against France. His half-back partnership with his school-mate Peter Stringer is world renowned and vital to both Munster and Ireland's cause - the Cork pair have so far made 49 Test starts together for Ireland.
