Rory O’Loughlin thriving as a Leinster wide boy

The morning after Leinster’s destruction of Montpellier in the Champions Cup the night before and Rory O’Loughlin is being introduced to the concept of fame as he looks on at a Junior Cup match involving his alma mater.

One of five former St Michael’s boys in the 23 for that 57-3 rout of the French on Friday, O’Loughlin somehow failed to add his name to a scoreboard swelled by eight Leinster tries although a run of seven in six games still makes for a decent statement.

It felt weird to be approached for autographs by kids wearing a uniform which he hadn’t long before removed for the last time but such is life now for the only current Leinster starter still on an academy contract.

Backpedal 12 months and he was 22 and juggling that rugby apprenticeship with a Business and Law degree at UCD.

O’Loughlin was just one of half-a-dozen centres on the academy books and juggling AIL games with the odd B+I Cup appearance and the Irish sevens squad.

After lifting so much in the Leinster gym, the sevens was a chance to focus on his aerobic fitness. His speed picked up and so did his skillset in a game where the average pass is 15 metres and one that demands the same strength and accuracy off both hands. Yet a breakthrough at senior level with Leinster seemed as far away as ever.

“It was slowly diminishing at the same time. In my mind, I was thinking: ‘this is going to have to happen soon enough if it is to happen’.

“I got an injury playing sevens at the end of last season and then going into the summer I saw an opportunity with the players away in the Ireland squad and some guys had moved on through retirement or going to another club.”

He’s a 13 by nature and inclination and got a few chances there in pre-season.

But with Garry Ringrose lighting up the midfield he has been redeployed to the pitch’s extremities and the results have been impressive.

A senior debut against Treviso in September was augmented with two more appearances before he spent the first European outing, at home to Castres, as 24th man and he has since capitalised on the ongoing absences of Rob Kearney, Dave Kearney and Fergus McFadden.

Wing wouldn’t be his natural habitat but between himself and Adam Byrne on the far tramline they have pitched in with 15 tries in 22 combined appearances and afforded Leinster the sort of pace and penetration that they had been lacking.

“It’s been great. I’ve absolutely loved it. The lads inside me have been making a few of them quite easy for me. When you’re playing with players like that you know they have the confidence to beat the first defender and get their hands free.

“You just need to run a good support line. If you do that you have a good chance of getting the ball. I’m just loving it at the moment.”