CONOR O’BRIEN WAS entering make-or-break territory at the start of this season, year three of the Leinster academy being an oft-precarious juncture for young players who have not yet forced their way into Leo Cullen’s plans.
But if the delicate margins between success and failure, between making it and not, are defined by the tenacity of a player to seize his opportunity in such an uber-competitive environment, then 22-year-old O’Brien has grasped his with both hands this term, leaving absolutely nothing to chance.
O'Brien was man of the match against Ulster. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
A member of the Ireland U20 squad that progressed to the 2016 Junior World Championship final, there has never been any doubts over O’Brien’s ability, but a logjam of talent in the Leinster midfield stocks made opportunities hard to come by.
He watched the likes of Andrew Porter, James Ryan and Jacob Stockdale all seamlessly transition into senior international rugby from that U20s side, while others such as Munster’s Bill Johnston, Max Deegan and Adam McBurney were making breakthroughs at their respective provinces.
But O’Brien was forced to bide his time, remain patient, before a debut appearance eventually arrived against Glasgow Warriors in November 2017, as he went on to play two further games last season.
Entering the final year of his academy contract, the versatile centre knew something had to change if he was to stake his claim and show his worth in blue, leading him to knock on Leo Cullen’s door during the summer.
“Year three in the academy you just have to pull up your socks and get on with business,” he says. “I went into Leo at the start of the year and was kind of just like ‘what do I have to do here to get some opportunities?’
“I wouldn’t be a quiet person per se but maybe it takes me a while to adapt to an environment, a bit longer maybe than other people. If you are a professional rugby players everyone has a drive. There was one day when I was training with all the first year academy players. I was in the academy so maybe it was a bit big of me to do, I don’t know.
“I was kind of like, I deserve to be training with the big guys here. I went up after and went ‘something needs to change here.’ I can either lie down and accept that’s going to be the way or if you don’t like the situation you have to change what you are doing.”
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As Leinster head coach Cullen waited at the back of the RDS media room on Saturday evening, O’Brien continued: “Leo told me, stay involved in the games and stake your opportunities when they come and build on a good Celtic Cup. To be fair to Leo he has given me the opportunities and has full confidence in me. I appreciate that an awful lot.”
And O’Brien has certainly seized his chances this term, as he produced another outstanding, all-action display against Ulster, deservedly being named man of the match for his efforts.
The centre scored his fourth try of the season. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
His 20th-minute try, when the Mullingar native streaked around the outside of Ulster’s brittle defence and bullied his way through four would-be tacklers, brought his tally to four in seven games this season — but there was much more to like about O’Brien’s performance than his fine individual score.
A strapping 100kg centre, who wore the number 13 on his back but often stood at inside centre, trading places with Noel Reid, O’Brien is powerful in contact but mixes that strength with good footwork and sharp defensive prowess.
He featured in all three of Leinster’s Christmas inter-pros — starting against Connacht and Ulster, and coming off the bench at Thomond Park — and has now put himself in contention to be involved against Toulouse next week.
O’Brien has worked hard on his game since his breakthrough moment during the 2016 tournament in England, the evidence of which under Stuart Lancaster and Felipe Contepomi is clear in recent weeks.
“To be fair, we had a good Celtic Cup campaign, which helped a lot and it’s about taking your opportunities and learning from your mistakes,” he explained.
“I’m doing the best I can and Felipe is helping me out with positional things and subtle things that you kind of wouldn’t see every day.
“Felipe provides a lot of constructive criticism. He means well and sometimes it’s harsh or whatever, but he’ll be like ‘this will make you a better player’. You look at yourself in videos and every week you’re looking at different things you’re doing and your movements off the ball.
That’s a big thing for me, not following the play. He was saying I was playing almost like an amateur, following the play and trying to get involved in everything whereas the best option is to sit back and get into the right position. And when you’re in the right position you can produce what you’re capable of doing.
On the evolution of his game, O’Brien — who has played AIL rugby with Clontarf — says: “A lot of passing, that was a big thing for me, getting ball to the width and not being a one trick pony in terms of being able to carry it up the pitch. That was a big thing.
“Working on my kicking as well. Doing a lot of organisation and communication off the ball is a big thing because I naturally tend to be a bit quiet. Just trying to organise players around me and let them know what they are doing because otherwise the forwards will let you know fairly quickly if you are not loud enough in behind those shapes.”
His versatility is also a strength. Three of his starts this season have been at 12, two of them at 13.
“I never really class myself as a 12 or a 13,” O’Brien adds.
All smiles: another memorable night for O'Brien. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“I can play either and equally as comfortable in both positions and when you’ve Noel Reid and guys around you like that who can guide you and communicate with you makes life a hell of a lot easier. It’s a bonus playing with such quality players.”
Such has been O’Brien’s impact and form, Leinster will consider registering him to their Champions Cup squad this week at the expense of one of the injured players, namely Robbie Henshaw, Joe Tomane or Fergus McFadden.
Cullen admitted he is a ‘live option’ for Toulouse, particularly if Rory O’Loughlin is required on the wing in the absence of the suspended James Lowe — but O’Brien remains firm in his focus and won’t get carried away by his rapid rise.
“I mean you just take every game as it comes,” he smiles. “You’re kind of setting goals, games out there like that today, if you told me at the start of the year I was going to play the three inter-pros over Christmas I’d laugh at you.
“Yeah, it would mean everything [to play Champions Cup]. Every Saturday morning when I was a kid and after coming back from rugby training, I would sit up, Mum would put on the dinner and get up and watch Isa Nacewa, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy tearing it up. Playing out in front of a full house in the RDS in the Champions Cup; if I didn’t say I was excited for that or say I dreamt about that, I’d be lying to you.
“But all I’m focused on is training on Monday, get the review in and prepare as best I can. If I’m needed, I’m needed and I’ll play the best I can.”
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O'Brien builds on his opportunities after pre-season meeting with Cullen
Ryan Bailey reports from the RDS
CONOR O’BRIEN WAS entering make-or-break territory at the start of this season, year three of the Leinster academy being an oft-precarious juncture for young players who have not yet forced their way into Leo Cullen’s plans.
But if the delicate margins between success and failure, between making it and not, are defined by the tenacity of a player to seize his opportunity in such an uber-competitive environment, then 22-year-old O’Brien has grasped his with both hands this term, leaving absolutely nothing to chance.
A member of the Ireland U20 squad that progressed to the 2016 Junior World Championship final, there has never been any doubts over O’Brien’s ability, but a logjam of talent in the Leinster midfield stocks made opportunities hard to come by.
He watched the likes of Andrew Porter, James Ryan and Jacob Stockdale all seamlessly transition into senior international rugby from that U20s side, while others such as Munster’s Bill Johnston, Max Deegan and Adam McBurney were making breakthroughs at their respective provinces.
But O’Brien was forced to bide his time, remain patient, before a debut appearance eventually arrived against Glasgow Warriors in November 2017, as he went on to play two further games last season.
Entering the final year of his academy contract, the versatile centre knew something had to change if he was to stake his claim and show his worth in blue, leading him to knock on Leo Cullen’s door during the summer.
“Year three in the academy you just have to pull up your socks and get on with business,” he says. “I went into Leo at the start of the year and was kind of just like ‘what do I have to do here to get some opportunities?’
“I wouldn’t be a quiet person per se but maybe it takes me a while to adapt to an environment, a bit longer maybe than other people. If you are a professional rugby players everyone has a drive. There was one day when I was training with all the first year academy players. I was in the academy so maybe it was a bit big of me to do, I don’t know.
“I was kind of like, I deserve to be training with the big guys here. I went up after and went ‘something needs to change here.’ I can either lie down and accept that’s going to be the way or if you don’t like the situation you have to change what you are doing.”
As Leinster head coach Cullen waited at the back of the RDS media room on Saturday evening, O’Brien continued: “Leo told me, stay involved in the games and stake your opportunities when they come and build on a good Celtic Cup. To be fair to Leo he has given me the opportunities and has full confidence in me. I appreciate that an awful lot.”
And O’Brien has certainly seized his chances this term, as he produced another outstanding, all-action display against Ulster, deservedly being named man of the match for his efforts.
His 20th-minute try, when the Mullingar native streaked around the outside of Ulster’s brittle defence and bullied his way through four would-be tacklers, brought his tally to four in seven games this season — but there was much more to like about O’Brien’s performance than his fine individual score.
A strapping 100kg centre, who wore the number 13 on his back but often stood at inside centre, trading places with Noel Reid, O’Brien is powerful in contact but mixes that strength with good footwork and sharp defensive prowess.
He featured in all three of Leinster’s Christmas inter-pros — starting against Connacht and Ulster, and coming off the bench at Thomond Park — and has now put himself in contention to be involved against Toulouse next week.
O’Brien has worked hard on his game since his breakthrough moment during the 2016 tournament in England, the evidence of which under Stuart Lancaster and Felipe Contepomi is clear in recent weeks.
“To be fair, we had a good Celtic Cup campaign, which helped a lot and it’s about taking your opportunities and learning from your mistakes,” he explained.
“I’m doing the best I can and Felipe is helping me out with positional things and subtle things that you kind of wouldn’t see every day.
“Felipe provides a lot of constructive criticism. He means well and sometimes it’s harsh or whatever, but he’ll be like ‘this will make you a better player’. You look at yourself in videos and every week you’re looking at different things you’re doing and your movements off the ball.
On the evolution of his game, O’Brien — who has played AIL rugby with Clontarf — says: “A lot of passing, that was a big thing for me, getting ball to the width and not being a one trick pony in terms of being able to carry it up the pitch. That was a big thing.
“Working on my kicking as well. Doing a lot of organisation and communication off the ball is a big thing because I naturally tend to be a bit quiet. Just trying to organise players around me and let them know what they are doing because otherwise the forwards will let you know fairly quickly if you are not loud enough in behind those shapes.”
His versatility is also a strength. Three of his starts this season have been at 12, two of them at 13.
“I never really class myself as a 12 or a 13,” O’Brien adds.
“I can play either and equally as comfortable in both positions and when you’ve Noel Reid and guys around you like that who can guide you and communicate with you makes life a hell of a lot easier. It’s a bonus playing with such quality players.”
Such has been O’Brien’s impact and form, Leinster will consider registering him to their Champions Cup squad this week at the expense of one of the injured players, namely Robbie Henshaw, Joe Tomane or Fergus McFadden.
Cullen admitted he is a ‘live option’ for Toulouse, particularly if Rory O’Loughlin is required on the wing in the absence of the suspended James Lowe — but O’Brien remains firm in his focus and won’t get carried away by his rapid rise.
“I mean you just take every game as it comes,” he smiles. “You’re kind of setting goals, games out there like that today, if you told me at the start of the year I was going to play the three inter-pros over Christmas I’d laugh at you.
“Yeah, it would mean everything [to play Champions Cup]. Every Saturday morning when I was a kid and after coming back from rugby training, I would sit up, Mum would put on the dinner and get up and watch Isa Nacewa, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy tearing it up. Playing out in front of a full house in the RDS in the Champions Cup; if I didn’t say I was excited for that or say I dreamt about that, I’d be lying to you.
“But all I’m focused on is training on Monday, get the review in and prepare as best I can. If I’m needed, I’m needed and I’ll play the best I can.”
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conor O'Brien Guinness Pro14 Leinster pro14 taking his chance