Sean O’Brien hopes to have impressed Joe Schmidt

Sean O’Brien is hoping 50 minutes of international rugby will be enough to convince national coach Joe Schmidt that he has a part to play in the opening game of the Six Nations clash with Italy next week.

The Tullow Tank successfully came through last night’s clash between the Irish Wolfhounds and the English Saxons without any further injury concerns after a year of pain and torture.

O’Brien was clearly disappointed to lose the game to the Saxons having gone toe to toe with them for the bulk of the match.