Desire burns bright for mature O’Brien
The 22-year-old from Tullow in Carlow has had more or less a free rein during the last 12 weeks when Jennings was suspended and there is no doubt he made a huge contribution to Leinster’s Heineken Cup resurgence after the shock opening defeat to London Irish.
This week was unlike any other in the last three months, with O’Brien sweating over whether he gets to play a big part or a mere cameo role in tomorrow’s match.
Yet, O’Brien displayed a maturity beyond his years when asked about his mental state in the build-up to the game now that he has to contend with a huge challenge from the vastly influential and much more experienced Jennings.
“My mental approach is the exact same,” he said, “Jenno coming back in doesn’t really change much for me. I still have to go out and perform the way I do and play the way I always play. I feel good about my form, happy enough you know. There’s a few little things here and there; I wasn’t always too happy with my defence recently, but I’ve hopefully rectified any of those faults for this week and I’m just looking forward to the game (whatever happens).”
Up to Jennings’ suspension, O’Brien had assumed responsibility for covering all three positions in the back row; since then the bulk of his work has centred around the responsibilities of an open side.
He explained: “I’m training at seven for the last 10 weeks or so, but I’m still covering the whole back row and I’m as comfortable at eight or six. At seven, the way the game has gone now, around the ruck area especially, you have to learn all the tricks of the trade.
“That’s something I’ve been working with Jono Gibbes a good bit on, the different approaches to rucking and techniques. So I would say you have to be learning all the time at seven, you learn off other players; I learn off Jenno and Jamie (Heaslip), (Stephen) Keoghie and even Kev (McLaughlin). You pick up on little things off everyone.”
Whatever happens selection wise, O’Brien is pleased to have been given a prolonged run at seven and believes he has learned a lot in the 12 weeks under Gibbes, whom he described as a hard task-master.
“Jono’s very straightforward. He knows what he wants and you have to deliver it to him or he won’t be too happy. He’s a straight talker, very clear, very precise in what you need to do and a very good coach,” said O’Brien.
ONE OF the things O’Brien is still trying to come to terms with is interpretation of the laws by referees.
“It’s frustrating to be on the money one game but pinged for same thing the next game. Referees have different interpretations of different laws, some referees would let you away with a little bit more, so you have to play the referees as well. I suppose you have to know when you’re in the wrong and know when you’re in the right. Sometimes it’s frustrating but that’s rugby.
“I suppose you have to learn before the game exactly what you should know about the referee, what he is like by studying the way he interprets things. In that first 10 or 15 minutes hopefully you won’t be giving away a stupid penalty or three points somewhere. The idea is to know the referee before the game and to know exactly what he lets go and what he doesn’t.
“It’s not something I would give a huge amount of time to but I’d have a quick look at previous games he (referee) has officiated in; after that there wouldn’t be a whole lot of emphasis on it. After five, ten minutes of looking at video work you’d know (or should) his calls and how he likes things,” he said.
O’Brien will certainly be given game time against Brive from the start or before the finish; his attitude will be the same as always – to give it 100 per cent, to make a statement and to make life hard for Cheika to leave him out of the team in the weeks to come. Like all coaches, Cheika loves a player with a hugely competitive edge, and he would hardly want it any other way.
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