Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti allowed Ronan O'Gara to leave for Crusaders without rancour as a reward for his four years of loyal service to the club.
It was confirmed on Wednesday that O'Gara is to commence his new coaching role with the reigning Super Rugby champions on 1 January 2018.
O'Gara has spent four years as part of the Racing 92 coaching staff, during which time they won the Top 14 and reached the Champions Cup final, both in 2016.
Speaking on Game On on RTE 2fm, France-based journalist Gavin Mortimer says that O'Gara is regarded as an outstanding coach in France and that Racing will keenly feel his absence.
He adds that Racing will regret his departure as they are losing a bridge between the French-speaking coaching staff and the largely English-speaking playing staff.
"He is an outstanding coach. He's highly respected, he's highly admired in France. La Parisien, the local paper in Paris, ran a huge piece on him last month, saying how integral he is to Racing.
"But at the same time, Jacky Lorenzetti (Racing 92 owner), he's an honourable man and a fair one. He recognises that this is a great opportunity for Ronan O'Gara.
"He (O'Gara) has given four years of unstintingly loyal service to Racing - which can't always be said of their imports from overseas - and this is his reward, that he's not going to stand in his way.
Découvrez le communiqué de Presse du Racing 92 concernant Ronan O'Gara, entraîneur Adjoint dans le staff technique. https://t.co/ujUwojkLqN pic.twitter.com/sqn1mc9DgL
— Racing 92 (@racing92) November 22, 2017
"But he (Lorenzetti) will regret O'Gara's departure. It's going to be keenly felt by Racing because Ronan O'Gara has been a bridge between the two coaches - Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers - neither of whom speak much English and so many of the squad who don't speak much French.
"Ronan obviously is fluent in French and someone who likes French culture. But more importantly is willing to adapt himself to it, which isn't something a lot of overseas players can do.
"It's staggering how many don't make any effort whatsoever... the reason Ronan O'Gara and Jonny Wilkinson are so respected is because they did make the effort to embrace the culture.
"There's a lot of differences, both in terms of rugby and everyday life. If you want to make the most out of moving to France, learn some of the language and learn the differences. Ronan O'Gara did do that which is why he was a success and why Racing will miss him so much."
Mortimer stresses that moving to rugby-mad New Zealand may prove a culture shock for O'Gara, who is used to the relative anonymity of rugby life in Paris.
"He's come out of his comfort zone, both in financial terms and in terms of his coaching. To go to the other side of the world to a country where rugby is a religion.
"That's going to be a big difference for him. In Paris, once Ronan O'Gara leaves the Racing training ground, no one knows who he is. Rugby is just so under the radar in Paris. That's not going to be the case where he's going now.
"Ronan O'Gara, as he showed four years ago in coming to Racing, and as he's showing now, is someone who wants to challenge himself. And in doing so, he's going to improve as a coach which is going to be good for him and, one suspects, in the long term, good for Ireland."
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