O'Connell relishing Munster lineout leadership role for Argentina clash

“I'd be quite a confident lineout caller and I know myself and Fineen chat a lot about it and Alex Codling, our forwards coach, is excellent as well," said O'Connell.

Sat, 01 Nov, 2025 - 02:15

Simon Lewis

Evan O’Connell is happy to embrace the responsibility of lineout leadership when he plays the senior partner in a Munster second row due to face Argentina A at Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

Head coach Clayton McMillan made the 21-year-old academy graduate wait for his seasonal debut until seven days ago, off the bench against Connacht but having seized that opportunity in a strong showing from a young set of replacements in the 17-15 round five URC derby home win, the new boss has challenged O’Connell to stake a claim to regular starting spot after handing him a leadership role in this eagerly anticipated clash against international opposition alongside debutant development player Conor Ryan.

“He'll call our lineouts,” McMillan said on Thursday of a player with just seven senior appearances for Munster. “He's one of those guys who's been knocking on the door through the whole pre-season and in the first part of the competition.

“He's just found it hard to knock off guys like Fineen Wycherley who I think has had an outstanding first six weeks. He's been physical, he's been accurate in everything that he's done and probably even silencing a few critics around the way that he's been playing.

“It's just been harder for Evan to get in but this is the sort of game where if he wants to play more, he's got to stamp his mark in a game like this where we're putting some responsibility on him to call lineouts.

“He's well aware of the way that we want to play and that's not isolated to just Evan either. I think everyone that's getting their first opportunity, what I want to see from them is nail your role and there's no compromise around physicality. Go out there and do those two things and let the rest unfold and we'll review that.”

O’Connell, a nephew of legendary Munster, Ireland and British & Irish Lions lock and current Irish forwards coach Paul O’Connell, is no stranger to leadership, nor to stepping up and meeting a challenge. He captained the Ireland Under-20s in 2024 and has also represented his country at Emerging and Ireland A levels while also spending time in the senior camp.

After playing against the Argentines, he will travel up to the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday to join his Ireland XV colleagues and begin preparing for next Saturday’s match against Spain in Leganes, in the Madrid suburbs. Yet for now, his focus is on getting his role right for Munster.

“I'd be quite a confident lineout caller and I know myself and Fineen chat a lot about it and Alex Codling, our forwards coach, is excellent as well. So, yeah, it's definitely an area I'd be confident in, in my ability,” O’Connell told the Irish Examiner.

He added: “The next couple of weeks are exciting. At the moment this week, just not looking past the Argentina game. It will be a huge test for us and a big match and a big weekend for the club. So, just really looking forward to that.

“The goal (is) to really go out this weekend and we want to show a good account of ourselves and myself personally. Then just springboard off, hopefully, a good opportunity and then on to Spain the following week.”

O’Connell appreciates his position in the second row pecking order and the fact he had to wait five weeks into the new season for some gametime, but do not mistake that for a lack of ambition.

“I'd be hoping to play more games, the same as any player that is on the fringes of a squad, but you just have to be patient, wait for your opportunity and then take it when it comes.

“Just had to bide my time and then I was delighted to get in for that (Connacht) game then. I was delighted to get some good game time, 20 minutes, and in a real pivotal part of the match when we were chasing the game.”

O’Connell’s first big chance came exactly a year ago with a senior debut against the All Blacks XV, coached by McMillan. It has served a good primer for what to expect against Argentina A.

“Just the speed and the physicality of the game is another level up. International players, different systems, different calls, etc. So, just, yeah, just really the speed and stuff and getting up to that. I learnt a lot from that last year and hopefully fit into the game this weekend.

“There's no points on offer, but it's still a massive game, especially for myself as a young fella, hoping to get a chance to impress in a game like that. And any chance you get to put the Munster jersey on and play in Thomond Park in front of a crowd is special.”