‘He’s still the same Sean O’Brien he always was’

They have another jersey for the wall now. Right up there alongside the Irish one, a Sam Warburton jersey from the World Cup quarter-final in 2011 and the prized geansaí of Kiwi legend, Richie McCaw.

Sean O’Brien joined a select group of post-war Lions winners on Saturday morning, and did so with many of his family and friends packed into the clubhouse of his beloved Tullow RFC.

Others made their way over because they wanted to be part of a special occasion, and to honour a popular man. Rory Elmes and Martin Byrne, Towns’ Cup winners with local rivals, Co Carlow FC were in attendance. So too the chairman of Carlow’s underage GAA section, Mick Murphy.