Big hitters raising the stakes but Sean O’Brien won’t change style

Sean O’Brien has banked his fair share of injuries in seven years as a professional, but the Ireland flanker has declared himself to be relatively unconcerned about the increasing levels of physicality which underpin modern rugby at the top level.

Concussion has long assumed the status as the game’s hottest of topics but the brutally physical nature of Ireland’s opening two Six Nations games, against Italy and France, has raised even wider questions about where rugby is headed.

The stitches and bruising on the faces of Johnny Sexton and Mathieu Bastareaud last Saturday captured that debate perfectly, with the French centre’s tendency to lead with the head and/or forearm an example of the dangers involved.

O’Brien, who has had major hip and shoulder injury, is no stranger to the concept of human battering rams when it comes to ball in hand and his clear-out of two French players at one ruck early in the second half last weekend was so impressive, it has gone viral.

Changing laws brings with it the risk of unintended consequences — and O’Brien pointed out that a hand-off to the face could be every bit as forceful as a forearm — though he takes the point the collisions are intensifying.

“It’s getting... lads are more powerful. They’re getting faster. The collisions are getting bigger. The biggest thing I have noticed is in the academy and how big the younger lads are getting, at 19 or 20. They are going to need to be that big, I think.

“I don’t worry about it because there is a lot of science behind everything they are doing now. If other teams are getting bigger and we’re getting bigger at the same time, we’re not going to be left behind.”

Health and safety is paramount, but the aesthetic value of rugby has also been questioned as players get bigger, defences get better and those charged with working ways around that, literally and figuratively, play catch up.

Ireland failed to make a single line break against France and their two tries against Italy came only when the Azzurri had effectively been pummelled into exhaustion and lost their discipline and, with it, a man.

“I don’t know if it’s the way it is going, but it’s definitely a factor. People are faster, coming off the line quicker, they’re bigger, so it does shut down space. At the same time, the younger lads nowadays are more intelligent.

“They’re more knowledgeable about rugby compared to when we were in the academy. There is more there to look at. There is more experience and mentors there, in terms of senior players, than five, six, seven years ago.”

All that said, the worst injury to emerge from the game in Dublin last weekend was the three fractured vertebrae Jamie Heaslip suffered when Pascal Pape kneed the Leinster captain in the back in an incident that had less to do with physicality than skullduggery.

“Yeah, it is. It’s not ideal, is it?” said O’Brien, who declared himself fit after his first 80 minutes since September and available to slot in for Heaslip at No.8 against England if required. “Especially the way they were going about their business. There was more than just that in the game but that’s the way it goes. They could be saying the same about us at certain times. They’re not the most disciplined team. There was a bit of niggle but nothing you wouldn’t expect from the French.”

England in two weekends time bring their own unique set of circumstances for an Irish player even before kick-off, but O’Brien evaded the usual landmines laid down when the Old Enemy are mentioned. No, he doesn’t feel Ireland ‘owe them one’ and he “loves” Chris Ashton despite the pair’s words in the recent ‘A’ game in Cork. His admiration for Stuart Lancaster’s side is evident amidst the pre-match niceties.

“They are a way more complete team than France. They are more structured and have more about them. They are very dangerous, especially with the new wingers they have and centre combination. It’s going to be a very tough day at the office again.”