Question marks raised over Sean O'Brien's future at London Irish
Question marks have been raised about Sean O’Brien’s future after it was revealed on Sunday that the Ireland flanker will miss the World Cup this year with a hip injury.
The flanker missed Leinster’s Pro14 final win over Glasgow at the weekend, and will require surgery, which will put him out of the game for six months.
With a move to London Irish agreed for next season, that brings an end to both his Leinster and Ireland career in the cruelest fashion.
In a career that has been dogged by injuries, which has seen him have over 20 operations, this is yet another problem that will leave him on the sidelines for an extended period of time. While many fans are lamenting the way his international career has ended, and the ramifications of his absence at the World Cup in Japan, some are being realistic about what this latest injury may mean for the 32-year-old.
While his age may suggest that O’Brien has a few more years left in him, he has been playing international rugby for a decade now, and his injuries have taken their toll. Many fans are now questioning whether he will be able to return to rugby again, with retirement becoming a very real possibility.
Already this season O’Brien’s form has been questioned since returning from injury, as he has undeniably failed to reach the impressive heights he has in years before. He has only managed to make 10 appearances for Leinster this past season, and has subsequently struggled to gain any form.
This is a harsh truth, particularly for London Irish who are set to benefit from his services next season, but it is one that is increasingly becoming possible.
This is what the fans have said:
https://twitter.com/Jamesscanner/status/1132725682843340800?s=20
https://twitter.com/mosstradamouse/status/1132694739558510592?s=20
https://twitter.com/mosstradamouse/status/1132923366493564933?s=20
https://twitter.com/The_Culk/status/1132656841471725569?s=20
https://twitter.com/HBHoran86/status/1132648648687460352?s=20
https://twitter.com/MLaffan/status/1132670098760720384?s=20
https://twitter.com/manitaka81/status/1132652572546949123?s=20
Sad news on Sean O'Brien missing the WC.Wonder will this injury be the ending of his career? Wishing him well
— Ken O'Grady (@kogrady74) May 26, 2019
While this would be a sad end to one of Ireland’s greats, there is no denying that he has had a glittering career. He has been a member of a Leinster squad that have won four European titles, and an Irish team that have won a Grand Slam and as well as two more Six Nations titles.
O’Brien was a pivotal figure in both the 2013 and 2017 British and Irish Lions series, earning a win over Australia and a draw with New Zealand.
He was named European Player of the Year in 2011, in what will probably be remembered as his standout season, capped off with a fine display at the World Cup.
However, since making his Ireland debut in 2009, his 56 caps reflect how many games he has missed due to injury. Had he remained fit, he could well be a centurion now, as he has always been one of the first names on the team sheet.
Unfortunately for him, O’Brien’s career in Ireland, and perhaps altogether, ended with Leinster’s loss to Saracens in the Champions Cup final, which is no way to bow out for one of Ireland’s greats.
Comments on RugbyPass
I don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
24 Go to comments