Tommy O'Brien: 'I definitely don't want to be a one-cap wonder'
Played 12, four tries scored. If those aren't the kind of numbers to jump off the page then anyone who has followed Tommy O'Brien's injury-plagued career up to now will understand the true significance locked within them.
The 26-year-old made his debut for Leinster in December of 2019 and still only has 47 caps to his name. The dozen he managed last term equals his best so far, but the 836 minutes banked make for miles more than a previous best of 588.
Those minutes were clocked despite another false start to a campaign in which he injured a hamstring on his first appearance, against Edinburgh in September, and the fact that he had played just twice before mid-February.
Now here he is in Ireland camp preparing for the summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal, and with a URC medal in his back pocket after their Grand Final destruction of the Bulls in Croke Park earlier this month.
Sweet.
'Yeah, delighted. As you said, a very frustrating start. I felt like I had a really good preseason and then did my hamstring in the first game and took a few months to get back.
"But I've loved my rugby the last few months and I love just getting a run of games. It's something I haven't really had in my career, getting an extended period of games, and thankfully that tied in with the trophy.'
O'Brien spoke at a commercial engagement in December when in the midst of his latest enforced absence.
What struck most was the air of certainty in his voice when he discussed his ambitions once fit again.
All those setbacks hadn't made a dent in him mentally.
'I guess I've known what I can do in training, but it's obviously behind closed doors so the general public wouldn't see it. I had a bit of confidence in what I was doing.
"The fact you're training in Leinster with such high-level players, such international-quality players, I took a bit of confidence from that. I felt I just needed to get a chance to get a couple of games under my belt.'
His performances have been superb. O'Brien has a rate of acceleration that isn't the norm in Irish rugby and he's a big enough boy who can take care of himself. There's a case to be made that he was Leinster's best player this last six months or so.
Now he gets the chance to transfer that into a green jersey.
Injury cost him the chance to go to South Africa with Emerging Ireland late last year, and it was all but impossible to catch the eye in Bristol in February when Ireland 'A' suffered a catalogue of misfortune on the way to a convincing defeat to England on a pig of a day.
That he was in the wider frame was obvious when Andy Farrell called him in to senior camp for the week of the Six Nations tie against France in early March, at which point he was just two games into his most recent comeback.
It's been a few years since he started anywhere but on the right wing for Leinster but he's 27 now and mature enough as a player and a person to take whatever comes from interim head coach Paul O'Connell this next few weeks.
'I'm dying to play a game for Ireland, so wherever they play me, I'll happily play. I think I probably have been viewed more as a winger at the moment, but if it's wing, if it's centre, if it's the 23 role, yeah, I'm happy to play wherever.'
O'Brien is 27 now. Among his contemporaries during two years with the Ireland U20s were Caelan Doris, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher. Two of them are in Australia touring with the Lions now and Doris would be only for his own injury.
Others from that vintage – Tom O'Toole and Jack Aungier – are with O'Brien on Ireland duties right now. Like them, the Leinster man is hoping to lay down a marker for the season to come and beyond that again.
'Obviously, there's guys away, Lowey and Mack are away with the Lions, so there's two wingers there for Ireland, but I want to try stake a claim and make myself a mainstay in this squad and try to push (for a place in future squads).
'Obviously there's this summer tour and then you've November internationals and Six Nations and stuff. I definitely don't want to be a one-cap wonder. Hopefully this is the start for me now of being in this squad and pushing for places.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland legend Niall Quinn set to coach amateur Dublin football team
Ireland legend Niall Quinn will take on another new venture as he returns to the coaching sidelines for Blanchardstown based outfit Dublin Celtic. Quinn, who played 92 times for Ireland, including two World Cups, has been announced as Director of Coaching for thee AUL outfit with former Ireland Under 21 coach Ian Byrne named as Head Coach. The prolific ex-forward had an illustrious career, which involved stints with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Sunderland from 1985 to 2002. He also took a coaching role at the Black Cats after his retirement, and became manager of the side in 2006 for a short-term spell. Dublin Celtic announced the addition of Quinn and Byrne on their Facebook page on Friday. The forward scored 163 goals in 551 appearances at club level, and was a key part of the Irish side at Italia 90 and the 2002 World Cup. He famously scored against the Netherlands in Italia 90 to level that clash and send Ireland through. He'll hope he can make more memories with Dublin Celtic next season.
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Western Force 7 British & Irish Lions 54: Tourists run riot in Perth but Tomos Williams hands worrying injury scare
Henry Pollock announced himself to the Aussie public as the Lions romped to an eight-try win to get the tour up and running. But there was an injury scare when scrum-half Tomos Williams limped off with hamstring trouble after pulling up after scoring his second try after 47 minutes. 2 The British and Irish Lions roared to a 54-7 thrashing of Western Force Credit: Getty 2 But Tomos Williams handed the Lions a major injury scare Credit: Getty And that could spell bad news for the Lions with Jamison Gibson-Park currently sidelined and Alex Mitchell the only other nine here. Northampton back row Pollock made a try, got involved in a scrap with Western Force lock Darcy Swain, got yellow carded and threw a horror pass to James Lowe behind his own line. And that was just in the first half. If the Australians did not know who Pollock is they do now and it looks like he is going to be making plenty of noise down under for the next few weeks. READ MORE IN RUGBY The 20-year-old was one of the Lions to stand up - despite his card – and was always involved in the thick of the action and must have a fighting chance of making the Test 23. It took just 16 minutes for Pollock to let the Australians know he had arrived when he set up Tomos Williams' score and he never went away. Farrell was fuming after last Friday's 28-24 defeat to Argentina in Dublin which got the tour off on the wrong foot and nothing but a thumping win would do here. The boss had seven familiar Irish faces in his starting line-up including captain for the day and hooker Dan Sheehan as the countdown to the first Test in Brisbane in three weeks started properly. Most read in Rugby Union BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Western Force finished ninth of 11 in Super Rugby this season and were missing some players who had been kept in Wallaby camp by Aussie head coach Joe Schmidt. But if the travelling fans were expecting an easy ride they had an early alarm call after skipper Dan Sheehan had finished off from Finn Russell's cross kick and a one-two with James Lowe after 95 seconds. 'Cried like a baby didn't ya-' - Watch Andy Farrell embarrass Ireland star over reaction to Lions call-up Force have not played for a month but it didn't show as they put the tourists under the pump and former Exeter scrum-half Nic White dived it over to level it on four minutes. But then came Pollock with a storming run after playing a one-two with Josh van der Flier. Pollock was caught short of the line but popped the ball up for Williams to score. Then Elliot Daly scored after Finn Russell's crafty quick tap and run and Pollock and Swain had some afters following the Englishman's celebration. Then Pollock was carded for playing the ball on the floor but he took one for the team there as the Lions were on a warning. It was over as a game when Williams went over for his second and with Garry Ringrose's score, it was 33-7 before Joe McCarthy helped the tourists get to 40 after Pollock's kick had pinned Force back. Daly added a second as tourists cruised past 40 and Force were done with Mitchell bringing up the 50. Scorers : Western Force : Try: White; Con: Donaldson British & Irish Lions : Tries: Sheehan, Williams (2), Daly (2), Ringrose, McCarthy, Mitchell; Cons: Russell (5), Smith (2)
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Lions roar past Western Force to get tour up and running in style
Western Force 7 British and Irish Lions 54 The British and Irish Lions got their Australian tour up and running in impressive style with an eight-try defeat of their first Super Rugby opposition on Saturday. Eight days on from a disappointing pre-tour international defeat to Argentina, head coach Andy Farrell will be more satisfied with this run-out from a much-changed team backboned by eight starting Ireland players and anchored by impressive half-backs Tomos Williams and Finn Russell. The lineout was more efficient, passes stuck and there were some cracking scores as Williams and Daly scored two apiece, with a trio of Irish debutants also grabbing tries through captain Dan Sheehan, Garry Ringrose and man of the match Joe McCarthy. The Lions had got off to a dream start, scoring inside the first two minutes as Finn Russell sent a inch-perfect crossfield kick to captain Dan Sheehan, whose instant pass set up a one-two with James Lowe for the hooker to receive and score. Western Force hit back immediately as the tourists misjudged the restart, Wallabies scrum-half and Force skipper Nic White scoring at the other end but the Lions took control with two more quality tries before half-time, from Tomos Williams as he tracked a brilliant charge and offload from Henry Pollock and then full-back Elliot Daly after a clever quick tap penalty from Russell caught the hosts napping. A yellow card just before half-time for Pollock after a penalty concession on a lengthy referee's warning but the Lions' attacking flow wasn't stifled with a man down, Tomos Williams finishing a superb turnover counter attack. Lions' Garry Ringrose celebrates scoring a try with Mack Hansen. Pic: Billy Stickland/Inpho The only blot was the Wales scrum-half injuring his hamstring in the act of scoring his second of the game but when returned to their full complement, the Lions put the game beyond the Super Rugby side. Tries from Irish debutants Garry Ringrose and Joe McCarthy in the 51st and 53rd minutes were both converted by Russell to take his tally to five conversions from six attempts. Nor did Russell's departure on 61 minutes halt the Lions' momentum, Daly popping up to finish their seventh try, converted by replacement fly-half Marcus Smith 10 minutes from time, before Alex Mitchell crowned the night with an eighth to bring up the half century of points. GAME IN 60 SECONDS Talking point: A strong start quickly undone through a high penalty count will give Farrell plenty of ammunition on the training field as the tour transfers to Brisbane but there were positives in the way the Lions grew stronger throughout the rest of the game, keeping the Force scoreless after four minutes and some impressive individual performances. Test-worthy performances: Joe McCarthy's man-of-the-match performance set the standard for the squad's second rows and the Lions forwards in general with his tenacity at the breakdown and in the loose. There were plus points aplenty but the number 10 Test jersey is now Finn Russell's to lose while Mack Hansen was the pick of the outside backs and baby of the squad Henry Pollock held his own with some punchy contributions. Dan Sheehan of British & Irish Lions celebrates as he runs through to score his side's first try. Pic: Steve Christo/Sportsfile Ref watch: The Lions got an early taste of New Zealander Ben O'Keeffe's officiating ahead of the Kiwi taking charge of the first Test with the Wallabies on July 19 and his handling of the breakdown in which the ball carrier was consistently favoured over potential jackalers. They will also have learned he is a patient man, yellow-carding Henry Pollock just before half-time having issued a sin-bin warning to his captain 30 minutes earlier after an early flurry of penalties from the tourists. Injuries: The departure of scrum-half Tomos Williams to a hamstring issue after scoring his second try of the night will be a serious concern for Andy Farrell, especially given Jamison Gibson-Park's lack of game time due to a calf issue. His rapid removal could mean a precautionary move from the Lions but the medical report will reveal all at a later date. Next Up: The Lions' Australian tour goes from coast to coast as they swap the Indian Ocean for the Pacific ahead of Wednesday morning's second tour match against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane and a challenge laid down by former Ireland assistant and future Wallabies head coach Les Kiss. WESTERN FORCE: B Donaldson; M Grealy, M Proctor, H Stewart, D Pietsch (B Kuenzle, 61); A Harford (M Burey, 52), N White – captain (H Robertson, 55); T Robertson (M Pearce, 55), B Paenga-Amosa (T Horton, 55), O Hoskins (T Tauakipulu, 64); S Carter (L Faifua, 49), D Swain; W Harris (R Prinsep, 10-23 - HIA), N Champion de Crespigny, V Ekuasi (R Prinsep, 52). LIONS: E Daly; M Hansen, G Ringrose (H Jones, 55), S Tuipulotu, J Lowe; F Russell (M Smith, 61), T Williams (A Mitchell, 48); P Schoeman (A Porter, 49), D Sheehan – captain (R Kelleher, 65), T Furlong (W Stuart, 49); S Cummings (O Chessum, 49), J McCarthy; T Beirne (J Conan, 49), J van der Flier, H Pollock. Yellow card: H Pollock 40-50. Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
