Sean O Brien

[ror]

Anyone know anything about him ? I think he is a carlow man ?He is lighting up the training camp seamingly, a real no 7 in the making, he also packs a powerful punch in the team boxing sessions !!!

[Danthefan]

To be honest I've not seen him play, all I know is he's an extremely highly rated young openside. Cheika described him in the past as "hard as nails". I think there was talk of him getting some gametime around the 6N past but he injured himself.

[Mauler]

To be honest I've not seen him play, all I know is he's an extremely highly rated young openside. Cheika described him in the past as "hard as nails". I think there was talk of him getting some gametime around the 6N past but he injured himself.

Saw him play for Leinster A vs the Ireland U20s last season, best player on the pitch by a country mile. Fine player.

[Dave Cahill]

To be honest I've not seen him play, all I know is he's an extremely highly rated young openside. Cheika described him in the past as "hard as nails". I think there was talk of him getting some gametime around the 6N past but he injured himself.

Saw him play for Leinster A vs the Ireland U20s last season, best player on the pitch by a country mile. Fine player.

He destroyed them. He was asked at one point by the ref to take it down a notch as it was only a friendly and they were only young lads...'but ref, i was on that team myself six months ago' Hes from Tullow in Carlow, a product of Tullow Community School, and helped coach Tullow in their run to the Provincial Towns Cup final last season whilst injured.

Lions captain, 2017...remember where you heard it first

[tackle-bag]

I reckon O'Brien is one of the main reasons Elsom has only been given a 1-year deal. It seems the Leinster management want to get him on the pitch for the first XV as soon as possible but feel that this season might be a tad too early for him. He's a superb player by all accounts - strong as an ox and very nimble for such a big guy.

[thecoolfreak]

From what I've seen of o'Brien playing with UCD I can see him pushing keogh very hard this season for the back up flanker. He's a very talented rugby player

[Leinster Zulu]

From what I've seen of o'Brien playing with UCD I can see him pushing keogh very hard this season for the back up flanker. He's a very talented rugby player

Surely Keogh will be the back up blindside and O'Brien the back up openside?

[El Diablo]

From what I've seen of o'Brien playing with UCD I can see him pushing keogh very hard this season for the back up flanker. He's a very talented rugby player

Surely Keogh will be the back up blindside and O'Brien the back up openside?

It's going to be a very competitive backrow again. Don't forget Kevin McLaughlin. He's not the new kid anymore. He's got to put in a big performance whenever he gets his chance.

[Leinster Zulu]

From what I've seen of o'Brien playing with UCD I can see him pushing keogh very hard this season for the back up flanker. He's a very talented rugby player

Surely Keogh will be the back up blindside and O'Brien the back up openside?

It's going to be a very competitive backrow again. Don't forget Kevin McLaughlin. He's not the new kid anymore. He's got to put in a big performance whenever he gets his chance.

The way I see it is Rocky at blindside with Keogh as his back up, Jennings at openside with O'Brien as his back up and Heaslip at number eight with McLaughlin as his back up. But it depends on how well O'Brien gets on when he gets a chance this season for me. If anything happens to Rocky, for example (injured, moved to the second row because of an injury crisis, etc.), then it's possible that Jennings could move over the blinside with O'Brien coming in at openside with Keogh being ignored. Still, it's all ifs and buts at this early stage.

[the spoofer]

The way I see it is Rocky at blindside with Keogh as his back up, Jennings at openside with O'Brien as his back up and Heaslip at number eight with McLaughlin as his back up. But it depends on how well O'Brien gets on when he gets a chance this season for me. If anything happens to Rocky, for example (injured, moved to the second row because of an injury crisis, etc.), then it's possible that Jennings could move over the blinside with O'Brien coming in at openside with Keogh being ignored. Still, it's all ifs and buts at this early stage.[/quote]

If Stephen Keogh performs like he did last year he will be seeing a lot of A game action. After a good first season, he did not produce the goods last season

[Donny B.]

Lions captain, 2017...remember where you heard it first

No pressure then!

In fairness I've yet to see him play too, but he's definitely one to watch. At the players night at the Guinness Store Keith Gleeson made a special mention of him and he's as good a judge as it gets.

[jezzer]

Isn't Kev McL heading overseas for experience this season?

Also heard Trev Hogan has bulked up a fair bit and really doing well in training.

[jrc]

From what I've seen of o'Brien playing with UCD I can see him pushing keogh very hard this season for the back up flanker. He's a very talented rugby player

Surely Keogh will be the back up blindside and O'Brien the back up openside?

There's only one backrow spot on the bench....

[Donny B.]

Isn't Kev McL heading overseas for experience this season?

Also heard Trev Hogan has bulked up a fair bit and really doing well in training.

Good to hear about Trevor, especially with Mal not getting any younger.

There was talk of McLaughlin going to South Africa for the summer to get some game time (along with three academy props under the guidance of Ollie).

I tried to post a question about whether this actually happened on the official Leinster site but the editor didn't even allow the question up (Good old deadsite democracy! ) so maybe it's a touchy subject for some reason.

[jezzer]

Isn't Kev McL heading overseas for experience this season?

Also heard Trev Hogan has bulked up a fair bit and really doing well in training.

Good to hear about Trevor, especially with Mal not getting any younger.

There was talk of McLaughlin going to South Africa for the summer to get some game time (along with three academy props under the guidance of Ollie).

I tried to post a question about whether this actually on the official Leinster site but the editor didn't even allow the question up (Good old deadsite democracy! ) so maybe it's a touchy subject for some reason.

Think Cheika is pretty hot on this, but his charges don't seem to share his enthusiasm! I know of one ex-academy prop who was pretty much told he'd have to go off to NZ for a season or two and might be in the frame when he got back, but it didn't suit him to up sticks and he's totally off the Leinster radar now, afaik. I think you'd be crazy not to go for a year if you were 24 or so and all the hassle was being sorted by the branch. Greta experience and couldn't do your rugby reputation and skills any harm.

[thecoolfreak]

Isn't Kev McL heading overseas for experience this season?

Also heard Trev Hogan has bulked up a fair bit and really doing well in training.

Good to hear about Trevor, especially with Mal not getting any younger.

There was talk of McLaughlin going to South Africa for the summer to get some game time (along with three academy props under the guidance of Ollie).

I tried to post a question about whether this actually happened on the official Leinster site but the editor didn't even allow the question up (Good old deadsite democracy! ) so maybe it's a touchy subject for some reason.

I know Royce Burke Flynn and Jamie Hagan went to SA for the summer. I think Hagan has returned home though

[ror]

Interesting to read back!!!

[AdamK]

Yeah, I'm still banking on this.

Lions captain, 2017...remember where you heard it first

[ceemec]

It is indeed. Possibly somewhat relevant:

http://www.rugbyfancast.com/2012/11/blo ... ous-weapon

Interesting to read back how different players were rated. What a difference 15 months made between the origins of this thread to autumn 2009 in Kevin McLaughlin's career.

[suisse]

Anyone know anything about him ?

Never heard of him.

Great thread. Love these ones.