Waiting game finally over for Sean O’Brien

Forget the two operations on the same shoulder. Forget the infection. The months out of the game and in rehab. The elongating list of injuries on his CV and the questions over whether he is long for life as a professional rugby player.

Sean O’Brien is ready.

Tonight, in Cork, he walks back onto a rugby pitch for a competitive game for the first time since he banked 80 minutes against Glasgow Warriors in Scotstoun in September. He’s done his due diligence in recovering. He’s done waiting.