Tomás O’Leary loving his London calling

Tomás O’Leary produces an infectious smile when he emerges from the physio’s room at London Irish’s training base. It might be his 30th birthday, a milestone which often signals the onset of autumn in a professional rugby player’s career, but after a spell ravaged by injury, the Corkman has a fresh outlook.

Things are on an upward curve. His second season at Irish has started well: he is recently engaged, has taken to London, assumed the captaincy in the absence of Declan Danaher and George Skivington and is injury-free.

The Exiles are two from two in the Amlin Challenge Cup, with a double-header against Stade Francais to come, and Brian Smith’s attacking rugby style is evolving rapidly with a steady start to the Premiership.