The words were stirring; the glare was steely. It was a shame that Sean O’Brien dropped his water bottle midway through.
The Ireland flanker was in top form out at Leinster’s headquarters, this afternoon, as he helped promote the province’s new 2015/16 home [pictured below] and away jerseys.
He joked about wearing runners with jeans, Jack Conan’s “brutal” initiation song and even revealed he had been banned from working on the family farm down in Carlow.
Nonetheless, when talk turned to the Rugby World Cup, O’Brien’s focus returned.
This is a side that are expecting great things of themselves, over six weeks, in September and October.
The 28-year-old, who captained Ireland to a 28-22 victory over Scotland on Saturday, dismissed the current world rankings [Ireland are second] as ‘a distraction’ and claimed the real work is only beginning.
‘It was good and I was delighted to be asked to [captain the side],’ he said.
‘It was an added bonus to the day… Obviously we didn’t play too well but we came out of it at the right end. Lots of stuff to work on in the next coming weeks.’
Depending on if and how they emerge from the group stages, O’Brien and Ireland could meet world champions New Zealand in the quarter final or final. Having pushed the All Blacks extremely close in two of the past three Tests, he feels Ireland can eclipse them when they next meet. He commented:
‘I don’t think there is a mental barrier when it comes to competing with them or putting ourselves in a position to win the game.
‘If you look back on that game, I know it is in the past now but we have developed a lot since that game. We’ve come on a lot. We should be in a better place if we were to meet them.’
O’Brien added, ‘Yeah. I think we have enough belief now [to back ourselves].
‘We’ve played well enough and have won games with control. We have beaten a lot of teams since then and have played a lot better rugby since then.
‘A lot of people learned a lot from that game… We’re in a different place, mentally and rugby wise.’
While expressing his confidence in his Irish teammates, should the two nations meet at the World Cup, O’Brien believes New Zealand are still the team to beat.
‘They are as big a threat [as ever],’ he said. ‘You can’t write them off. They’re an incredibly talented bunch of players and are always dangerous.’
Asked if he had shared much banter with Auckland native, and Leinster teammate, Isa Nacewa, O’Brien said he was keeping away from him.
‘He’s had a bit of craic with a few of the lads but is only trying to get a reaction out of us.
‘He’s a Fijian anyway!’
*To celebrate the launch of the new 2015/16 season jerseys, Canterbury have asked fans to prove why they are Leinster’s most committed fan on Canterbury’s Facebook page or by tweeting using #CommittedToLeinster.
