The record breaking Irish outside half, who had the honour of captaining the Lions against the Emerging Springboks at the end of his third tour, had the misfortune of making two high-profile mistakes in the closing stages of the second Test in Pretoria.

That game ended in a 28-25 series clinching win for the Springboks, with O'Gara conceding the final penalty from which Morne Steyn won the game.

That didn't stop him from picking up the Red FM Cork South Side Sports Award this week - after all, he helped Munster win the Magners League and Ireland clinch their first Grand Slam in 61 years - and now he is ready to get back to work.

"The Lions tour was obviously difficult towards the end, and then it was great to have holidays, learn from your mistakes, dwell on them for a little bit and then move on," O'Gara told the Irish Examiner..

"And that's exactly what I've done. I needed the break, I got away and now I feel rested and refreshed. Coming back into the Munster scene, there'll be huge ambition there and I can't wait to start working with the lads again."

That ambition - Munster have won the Heineken Cup twice in the past four years and took the Magners League title last season - was highlighted by the signing of Springbok centre Jean de Villiers, one of the men who played in the Test series defeat of the Lions this summer

"At the level we're at, you always need to try to attract the best players and the signing of De Villiers is indicitive of where we're at -it's a huge boost for us that someone like him, a class player, will sign for us," added O'Gara.

"You always have to shake things up. That's the ruthless side of professional rugby - everyone has a shelf life, and there comes a stage where they mightn't fit into the coaches' plans."

But it's not just in a Munster shirt that O'Gara is hoping to make an impact in the new season. He has his sights set firmly on beating Australia and South Africa when the November internationals come around.


"I'm certainly beyond the stage of looking at these one-off scalps, we'll have to expect to win these games," he added.

"We're at home and they'll be coming to end of their season. I know from touring down there it's difficult when you're coming to the end of a long hard season to keep that focus.

"But that's what separates them from the other sides in the world; the top three can maintain that ruthlessness throughout the season."