Rugby World Cup 2011: O'Gara asked to delay retirement

Ireland will attempt to persuade Ronan O'Gara to shelve any retirement plans after he hinted that he would quit international duty after the World Cup.

The country's record points told Irish television after Saturday's stunning 15-6 win over Australia , externalthat he would be "done with Ireland in a few weeks".

However, Ireland team manager Paul McNaughton said that the fly-half would be "encouraged to stay on".

"He's a very, very important part of the set-up here," added McNaughton.

"Ronan hasn't talked formally to us about it. There's no doubt he still has something to offer the team after the World Cup.

"He's contracted for the next couple of years. Undoubtedly (coach) Declan Kidney and the management will be encouraging him to stay on."

The 34-year-old Munster fly-half came off the bench to kick two late penalties on Saturday in the shock Pool C win over the Aussies.

O'Gara, twice a Heineken Cup winner, was close to tears after the game.

"It's massive, this is it for us, I'm done with Ireland in a few weeks," he told RTE.

He added: "I've had a great time in this jersey but I want this to be the biggest time. It's a great team, a great bunch of lads and it means a lot to us."

O'Gara has scored more than 1,000 points for Ireland, almost twice as many as any other player and is one of only three players to have won over 100 caps for the country - his 113 appearances second only to captain Brian O'Driscoll.

The US-born kicker, who has been vying with Leinster's Jonny Sexton for the Irish number 10 jersey over the past two seasons, dropped a dramatic last-minute goal against Wales two years ago to seal Ireland's first Six Nations grand slam since 1948.

Paul O'Connell and Gordon D'Arcy will undergo scans on Monday after sustaining hamstring injuries in Saturday's game though there is no major concern over either player at this stage.