News in Brief
O'Gara turns to kicking guru Alred
Scrum.com
April 14, 2009
Ronan O'Gara slots one of his two conversions
Ronan O'Gara has begun working with Dave Alred on his kicking © Getty Images
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  • Munster and Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara has turned to former England kicking coach Dave Alred, the man credited in part for Jonny Wilkinson's deadly accuracy several years ago, to improve his place kicking.

    O'Gara, who is the all-time leading scorer in the Six Nations, landed the winning drop-goal in Ireland's Grand Slam and topped 80% for accuracy during the tournament but believes that he can still improve.

    "Obviously people will say you've kicked very well for 10 years but I'm always trying to improve and improve," he told The Daily Telegraph. "I've just found a new power position essentially in the last few weeks and I've tried to work on that."

  • Following their 6-5 win over Harlequins at the Stoop on Sunday, Leinster have entered the top six seeds for the Heineken Cup. This means that Michael Cheika's side will head one of the Pools in next season's tournament. The other tier one sides are Munster, Bath, Toulouse, Biarritz and Leicester Tigers.

  • Bulls second-row Bakkies Botha has been banned for three games after being found guilty of striking Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh during the side's Super 14 match at Sydney Football Stadium last weekend.

    The 55-times capped lock has been suspended until May 2 and will miss the Bulls' Super 14 games with the Brumbies on April 17, Chiefs on April 25 and Western Force on May 2.

  • Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter has made a triple signing for next season, with fullback Michael Horak, prop Richard Skuse and scrum-half Kevin Barrett all signing deals with the club.

    The English trio join from Bennetton Treviso, London Irish and Exeter respectively. Horak won an England cap at fullback against Argentina in 2002 while Skuse has been an England squad member. Scrum-half Barrett is an England Sevens international.

  • Leicester wing Alesana Tuilagi has been cited for tackling Bath fullback Nick Abendanon without the ball during the Tigers' 20-15 Heineken Cup quarter-final win at the Walkers Stadium on Saturday.

  • New Zealand skills coach Mick Byrne has accepted a position as Japan forwards coach. Byrne, known as 'Mick the Kick', has worked with New Zealand since 2005 on kicking and specialist skills and a will now link up with All Blacks great John Kirwan in the Japan coaching staff.

  • Queensland Reds will reportedly be losing the services of former All Blacks openside Daniel Braid next season. Braid was signed as one of the first "marquee" overseas signings for an Australian Super 14 franchise but now looks set to leave the Reds at the end of the season to take up a contract in Europe.

  • Banking group Investec is the new sponsor of the Tri-Nations competition in New Zealand. Their two-year deal, brokered by sports marketing specialists Essentially Group, will start this year. Investec replaces former sponsor Philips, which ended its 15-year association with New Zealand rugby after closing its Australasian consumer television operation.

  • Edinburgh have handed Scotland Sevens international Roddy Grant his first professional contract. Flanker Grant made his Edinburgh debut against Ulster in Januray thanks to his place at the National Academy and will be a permanent fixture from next season.

  • Crusaders flanker George Whitelock is heading home from his team's Super 14 tour of South Africa for treatment on a knee injury. Coach Todd Blackadder said a best case scenario would see Whitelock playing again in three to four weeks. Richie McCaw is expected to return to fitness in order to replace Whitelock on the remainder of the tour.

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