'He was the original blueprint' - Ruadhan Quinn learning from the best in Sean O'Brien

LOCKED IN: Ruadhan Quinn at Munster Rugby Squad Training, UL, Limerick. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

From an impressive outing for the Ireland XV in November to a Champions Cup debut for Munster, Ruadhan Quinn is on a roll right now and reaping the rewards of a week in the company of one of his childhood heroes, Sean O’Brien.

The 22-year-old back-rower from Clare has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks, building on the opportunities given to him by Munster head coach Clayton McMillan with his most recent involvement garnering a try off the bench in the 31-3 Champions Cup victory over Gloucester at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last weekend.

For Quinn though, there is a determination as both an individual and part of the Munster collective to continue that development into this Saturday’s return to URC action, when the province travels to Wales to meet the Ospreys at Bridgend’s Brewery Field.

And some of the inspiration for that stems from his time in Irish camp last month which climaxed with a start for the Ireland XV at openside flanker in the 61-24 win over Spain in Leganes.

Leinster assistant coach and former Ireland and British & Irish Lions powerhouse O’Brien was drafted into Collie Tucker’s backroom ticket by the IRFU and Quinn was a grateful beneficiary of the Tullow Tank’s advice.

A Munster Senior Schools Cup winner with Crescent College Comprehensive in 2022, Quinn grew up wanting to model his game on O’Brien’s dynamic back-row play.

“Watching all the Lions tours, watching Ireland, watching him winning Heineken Cups as a back row, he was the original blueprint to that modern dynamic ball-carrying back row, so that's what I tried to model my game on in a way,” Quinn said.

“Even little things like I was playing seven (for Ireland XV) that week and that's the position I've been playing more this year… he would have been an out and out seven as well, so being able to even defensively, off lineouts, where to position myself in the contact zone, these little things.

“Obviously size helps, but technique and leg drive and all these small parts that you mightn’t think. If you have the size growing up, you're always able to win these contacts, but when you're up playing Champions Cup and these high-level games, you need a lot more than that, so picking those little bits off him.”

Quinn added: “It was an incredible experience for me to go over to Spain with that group,” Quinn said.

“I hadn't been involved really in an Irish squad since (Under) 20s, so being back up and around, even the set up and up in Dublin, linking in with the coaches and stuff was incredible and the calibre of players I got to play with across the country, I really learned a lot.

“Getting to pick his brain throughout the week was unbelievable for me to learn those few bits, so a really good week.”

The Munster back-rower has been embracing the advice gleaned from that week and said: “I think a lot of it's about confidence.

"If you're a good ball carrier, trying to get on the ball, play to your strengths and to keep polishing up all parts of your game, but the parts you're good at, try and showcase that in games. There's a reason you're picked, so just try and get on the ball and be as dominant as you can.”

After a European debut in the heavy loss at Bath, and a maiden Champions Cup try in Cork a week later, Quinn is understandably keen to keep making his mark as regularly as possible, though he knows that may be difficult given the back-row resources at McMillan’s disposal.

“If you look at the back row and the depth we have in the squad, and sure, Brian Gleeson's coming back in a couple of weeks as well, he's not even available at the moment and the other competitors…

“The back row is through the roof already, so as a back row in this club, you know you're not owed anything and week by week, you've so many strong options and players can play different roles and everything, so even if you're on for two minutes, you have to try and put your best foot forward."

Quinn had not been born the last time Munster visited Bridgend RFC, for a Heineken Cup pool game in 2001 against the club rather than the region into which it was later subsumed.

Tries that night from Mike Mullins and John Kelly and two penalties from Ronan O’Gara helped to snuff out Bridgend’s challenge with a hard-fought 16-12 victory.

The current Munster team are expecting a similarly difficult challenge against a side which has broken out of its early season struggles with back-to-back wins in the Challenge Cup and the back-rower agreed any drop off in performance levels would be unacceptable.

“That’s what we're saying. The whole point is we've 10-week block now and we know how good this Ospreys team is and we're going over to their turf as well, so they're going to be up for it.

"We've got a couple lads coming back from injury as well. They've a very strong back row, we know how dynamic and powerful they are on the floor, so we're going to be really put to the test this weekend. 

"The most important thing for us now is not feeling happy with ourselves because there was a lot to work on from that game last weekend, so hopefully bringing in our work-ons and showcasing that this weekend.”