Injuries opening door to Irish team for O’Brien
While his inclusion in the match day squad was once again unexpected, happy circumstance ensured Jimmy O’Brien had a nice family moment in the aftermath of last Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome.
Thanks to an injury sustained by Robbie Henshaw, O’Brien was a late addition to the Irish bench for last November’s autumn international encounter with South Africa at the Aviva Stadium. After coming on for his senior test debut in that game, he went on to start subsequent wins over Fiji and Australia in the same venue.
He initially missed out on selection for the opening three rounds of this year’s Championship, only for the withdrawal of Garry Ringrose a day beforehand to open the door for O’Brien once more.
Even though this game was taking place overseas, his parents John and Caroline had decided in advance of the tournament to book a trip to the Italian capital for the final weekend in February. This decision couldn’t have worked out any better as it allowed them to see their son Jimmy make his Six Nations bow at the Stadio Olimpico.
“I obviously found out late again, similar to the my first cap as well. Thankfully my parents had booked a trip anyway. They were going over just regardless. They had booked it once I got in the squad. Any excuse [to go to Rome]. They didn’t mind that I wasn’t playing initially! Thankfully they had booked it and they were over there,” O’Brien explained when speaking to the media on Thursday.
“Got to see them straight after the game. It was class having them there. Obviously when I got called in late, there could have been no one, which would have been a bit disappointing after. It was very cool that they were there.” Despite only getting eight minutes off the bench as a replacement for Stuart McCloskey, O’Brien was ultimately satisfied to play some part in Ireland’s 34-20 bonus point triumph over Italy – a result that keeps their Grand Slam hopes very much alive head into the final two rounds of the Six Nations.
“Happy with how it went. Got on the ball once. You’re just trying to talk and bring a bit of energy when you come on. The lads were obviously f***ed towards the end of the game. They were blowing everything, so you’re just trying to get your chat up. Talk to them, try to give them a bit of energy.” In much the same vein as his provincial colleague and fellow Kildare man Jamie Osborne – who has been released from the Irish camp to play with Leinster against Edinburgh later this evening – O’Brien has displayed remarkable versatility in recent times.
Having started his rugby journey as an out-half at schools level with Newbridge College, the Eadestown native has gone on to don every jersey from 11 to 15 in the professional game.
After replacing McCloskey at inside centre on his test debut against the Springboks, he was subsequently deployed at full-back and left-wing for those aforementioned duels with Fiji and Australia. He has also started 10 games in the outside centre position for Leinster, but found himself on the right-wing for the eastern province’s agonising Champions Cup final defeat to La Rochelle last May.
When he was first starting out, O’Brien was constantly asked if operating in more than one position could be a hindrance to his career. Yet given Leo Cullen and Andy Farrell have seemingly taken such a shine to him over the past 18 months, he is happy to take up any role in either the Leinster or Ireland back lines.
“That’s kind of the way I look at it now. Growing up when I was play a couple of positions, people asked ‘God, do you think it’s going to work against you?’, but now I think it works for me. I’m the kind of guy now who can play multiple positions.
“I just have to lean into that and that’s my strength. Make sure I know every position now, so if I do get put on wing, 13 or full-back or whatever, I know the role or I know what I have to do.”