Munster and Ireland veteran Ronan O'Gara insisted that there was still a lot of rugby playing time in him at the top level after he celebrated his 100th European Cup appearance.

The 34-year-old American-born flyhalf orchestrated another remarkable win for the Irish province away at prime pool rivals the Scarlets on Saturday with 12 more points to add to his record haul in the tournament.

Four penalties from his trusty right boot took to 1 233 points his tally in the European club competition - which has seen him lift the trophy twice - to add to the 1 075 points he has amassed in 116 Test matches for Ireland.

Remarkably, it was the 83rd consecutive European Cup game in which he has scored and this campaign also saw him nail two crucial last-gasp drop-goals in his team's opening two victories over Northampton and Castres.

O'Gara, whose career looked to be on the wane four years ago after a terrible 2007 World Cup when his private life was also put under the microscope, said the victory over the Welsh side was more important than his landmark.

Indeed he said that he was not even in the mood to reflect on his career as there is still plenty of petrol left in his engine.

"It's a significant milestone but I have my foot on the accelerator and I'm not looking back," he told Irish broadcaster RTE.

"I'm looking forward and that's the way you have to be in this game - it's a ruthless game. I want to make the most of whatever years are left and I'm enjoying it immensely at the minute. You play to enjoy it and you play to win, and I tick the box on both counts," he added.

O'Gara, who was once approached by NFL team San Diego Chargers to be their kicker, received a moving tribute from fellow veteran Scarlets and Wales flyhalf Stephen Jones.

"He has proved what a quality player he is for Munster and Ireland down the years, but nobody needs me to tell them that," said the 33-year-old record Welsh caps winner with 104.

"He has been at the heart of what Munster do for so long and he can vary his game by putting the ball through the hands or by pinning a side into the corners.

"He knows just what he has to do and when to do it - you just have to look at what he did with the drop goals in the games against Northampton and Castres," added Jones, who came on on the hour mark but was unable to engineer a Scarlets win.

O'Gara, who is not the first Munster player to achieve the landmark as fellow Irish century cap winner John Hayes got there before him, said that now was not the time to think about the symbolism of the century mark.

"When I finish playing in a few years time I will look upon it as a significant cap because it's a fantastic competition," said O'Gara who also landed the drop goal that gave Ireland their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 61 years in 2009.

"A competition that has given me every possible emotion and that's why you play the game," added O'Gara, who could contemplate a career in business as he has a Masters degree in business and economics.

O'Gara said it was impossible for him to say what was his greatest memory of the competition.

"Ah there's been so many (wonderful moments)," said the three-time British and Irish Lions tourist.

"Because the way the competition is structured, if you're lucky enough to win it, you play nine games, which in a season isn't many."

"It's an unbelievable competition - I've been so lucky that it's given me so many great memories to name a handful would be doing a disservice to the probably other twenty five I have," he said.

AFP