LAST UPDATE | 26 Aug 2022

ON A PITCH packed with the bulk of Leinster’s full senior squad, Seán O’Brien still manages to stand out, whether it’s keeping a close eye on things as the players run through some plays, or having a quiet word with James Ryan during a short break in an open training session which appears to push a few senior stars to their pre-season limits.

The former Leinster and Ireland flanker, who left the province for London Irish in 2019, still looks the part in his Leinster gear even if his playing days are now behind him. This season, O’Brien is on board as Leinster’s new contact skills coach, replacing the outgoing Denis Leamy, who has returned home to Munster.

At the far end of Longford RFC’s pristine astroturf pitch, Andrew Goodman joins the huddle to offer a quick word with Johnny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and Co.

Goodman also wore the Leinster shirt in his playing days, spending two injury-plagued seasons in Dublin before embarking on a successful coaching career which has brought him back to Leinster via stints with Tasman and the Crusaders. 

His job is to pick up where Felipe Contepomi left off before joining Argentina, and help bring Leinster’s celebrated attacking game to the next level on the back of their first trophyless season since 2017. 

“I don’t think it’s necessarily essential that there is a Leinster connection there, but it definitely does help,” says Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, enjoying a coffee and a sandwich just as the rain starts to pelt down at Longford RFC, where an afternoon open training session represents the last stop on a busy day of cross-province touring for the squad.

“Andrew went to Japan after an unlucky period here with injury. I was actually injured with an Achilles injury at the time so we would have had a connection from that period, which was Matt O’Connor’s first year. Joe (Schmidt) would have signed him. He did two years, one with Joe, one with Matt.

“Andrew is someone I would have always followed closely, his progress with Tasman initially and then more recently with the Crusaders.

You’re trying to get not just Andrew the man – the very, very good man that he is – but it’s also some of the IP he would have from his time in different places. From a coaching point of view, we’re always looking to advance our game. 

“It’s funny, obviously Felipe was brilliant (here), but I’m watching Argentina now and thinking ‘Ooh, what’s Felipe doing, that looks familiar, that looks familiar.’ So I’m always looking at it the other way around.

“But yeah, when someone leaves, and we talked about Felipe at the time, it’s bringing in new ideas, fresh eyes and all the rest, but he (Goodman) still has an understanding of the Joe times, Andrew would have been a part of those days as well, and he has a good grasp of all things Leinster.”

While some of the younger Leinster fans out in force in Longford might not be so familiar with Goodman, O’Brien needs no introduction – even if a few excited parents can be seen whispering and pointing in his direction.

Johnny Sexton signs autographs during an open training session at Longford RFC yesterday. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

One of the greatest players Leinster have ever produced, O’Brien’s role as contact skills coach will stretch beyond the job description as the province look to bring some of his bite and nous around the ‘dark arts’ back into their game.  

“I don’t know if you got to see any of the session but he’s (O’Brien) in the thick of it the whole time,” Cullen continues.

“Seanie is good, he did a lot of coaching all the way through when he was playing, even as a very young player, down in Tullow in particular but even in London he was doing a bit of coaching there as well with different teams.

He’s a brilliant character, he’s a larger than life personality as well so he’s a great addition on lots of fronts and we’re delighted he’s chosen to rejoin Leinster. It’s great, because I know he had some interest from elsewhere as well.”

It’s been a strange summer for Leinster. The bitter disappointment of how last season played out – Champions Cup final defeat in Marseille, a home semi-final loss in the URC – still lingers, but many of the squad have been energised by Ireland’s historic series win against the All Blacks.

Some of Cullen’s players were back in the building just two days after Ireland’s third Test win in New Zealand, with the internationals enjoying an extra month to decompress. 

In three weeks time, it all kicks off again, with Leinster away to Zebre Parma on the opening weekend of the new URC season. With no trophy to defend, it already has the feel of a fresh challenge for a group that have become so accustomed to picking up silverware. 

Leo Cullen during yesterday's open training session. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

“The last couple of seasons have been very strange for lots of different reasons,” Cullen adds.

“You think back to the Christmas period last year with Covid and games cancelled, then everything gets congested, games get rescheduled for during the Six Nations and there was just a bit of a grind element to it.

“So it was important that people had that bit of a refresh, and I think people have come back in in good shape now. It’s more of a mental thing rather than a physical thing, I think, and this season is a cleaner season in many respects because we’re back to finishing at the end of May, rather than going into June and then a tour (international) at the end of that.

“It’s a cleaner season in that respect.”

The hard work is already well underway.

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