La Rochelle’s fifth defeat in eight matches also saw Teddy Thomas red carded for a dangerous tackle on Racing 92’s scrum half Nolan Le Garrec midway through the first half.

The Rochelais’ coaches were clearly angry at some refereeing decisions during the match, notably after Racing winger Juan Imhoff appeared to play the ball illegally, preventing Judicael Cancoriet from scoring.

Attack coach Sebastien Boboul pointedly refused to discuss the subject with the media afterwards.

O’Gara’s latest brush with French rugby authorities comes almost exactly a year after he was handed a 10-week touchline ban, on November 23, 2022, following comments to the league’s head of referees about the standards of officiating. It was ruled that his views undermined, “the greater interests of rugby”.

In November 2021, he was banned for two weeks for “action against a match official” during a Top 14 match against Toulon at Stade Marcel Deflandre; in April 2022 he was banned for two weeks following a match against Racing 92, and also reprimanded for a touchline altercation with then-Bordeaux manager Christophe Urios.

And he kicked off the 2022/23 Top 14 season with a six-week suspension for “having lacked respect for the authority of a match official” when La Rochelle travelled to Lyon.

In total the former Munster and Ireland fly-half has served 20 weeks’ suspension since joining the staff at La Rochelle. And he received a second formal reprimand the last time his side travelled to Racing 92 in January this year – when he was in the stands serving out the final week of his 10-week ban.

He will face the committee on December 6. He has not been suspended pending the hearing, so he is free to take a full role in his side’s final domestic match at home to Perpignan before they begin the defence of their Champions Cup crown against Leinster at Stade Marcel Deflandre on December 10.