Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Blues

There are some decent centres in that list.
And not a bad full back or two either.
In his 23 caps to date there have been
15 starts. Seven starts in the number 13
jersey and eight in the number 15.
Any preference?
Again his experience throughout school
comes to the fore and his comfort in a
number of positions.
“It’s hard to say really. I like 13 and
15 to be honest. Obviously, they’re the
positions that I am playing in the most so
I have had time to get used to both and I
really enjoy them.
“I played both wings for Leinster as well
off the bench and have even covered
10 as well in pre-season games and
stuff so I’m lucky in that, at the moment,
I am focused on the two positions that I
probably enjoy the most but look, like all
the lads, when Leo offers you a role you
take it with both hands but I’m definitely
enjoying it at the moment.”
For this weekend he has again been
entrusted with the full back role. His fifth
game in a row in that position.
He is building momentum and form at
just the right time. Europe and the festive
interpro derbies lie just around the corner.
“I know it’s a cliché but you can’t get
too ahead of yourself. Cardiff first this
weekend and then we have Scarlets
away which will be tough so we’ll look to
get through those challenges first.
“But it is definitely a target of mine to pull
on a jersey for Leinster in a European
game. A few of the lads had that honour
last year and it was great to see them
go well. Josh Murphy, Will Connors,
Hugo Keenan. They all experienced it
and it’s that next step in your progress
so hopefully if I get a chance this year I
can take it.
“It is definitely the next level.”
The next step of course from European
debuts and games is the national radar
and the progress of his mates is not lost
on him either.
“Delighted for Hugo. I’ve known him
years and have played a lot of rugby
with him at Leinster and with Ireland
age grade teams. He is a brilliant fella
and just delighted for him and yeah,
you’re right, if you can be staking a
claim for a Leinster jersey regularly in the
PRO14 and then in Europe, you are in the
spotlight.
“It’s brilliant to see the lads taking their
chances. Ed, Jamo and Lowie as well.
They have all gone well and taken their
chance and it is encouraging for us here
to see them take those chances with
Leinster and then to kick on.”
For now, O’Brien will just narrow his focus
on Cardiff and maintaining the record
that sees them in control of Conference A
but mindful too of a resurgent Ulster.
“We just need to focus on our own
performance. It’s a short turnaround this
week from Monday to Sunday so we
have to just focus on Cardiff who had a
good win themselves.
“If we do that, the result and the table will
look after itself.”
And then there is the small matter of his
final year in UCD.
“Final year exams at the moment,
hopefully I will be done in May. I’m a
bit behind my mates who started out
with me but given Covid restrictions and
everything now being online I have done
well the last while to catch up on a lot of
things so it’s been good.”
So what does the future hold for a
graduate of Financial Mathematics in
UCD?
“It’s finance mainly or banking. That’s
where the opportunities would be and
that is where most of my classmates
would be headed. So hopefully I’ll have
my qualifications all sorted by May.”
And with that off he goes. Another
weekend of defusing situations and
coming up with the answers.
Study and exams to be done but also
full in the knowledge that if the career
in banking and finance doesn’t go
so well, he is carving out an exciting
career for himself in the blue of Leinster
and who knows beyond that, maybe too,
in the green of Ireland.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 21 | From The Ground Up