Leinster flanker Sean O’Brien has had to endure a horrid couple of years with injuries but he showed against Toulouse on Sunday that he can still be a force for the European champions.
With Leinster trailing 14-6 after some early penalties from Thomas Ramos and a try from France winger Maxime Medard, O’Brien pounced on some excellent work from number eight Jack Conan to cross the Toulouse line untouched and bring the PRO14 champions back into the game.
O’Brien’s try and Johnny Sexton’s subsequent conversion brought Leinster within a point of Toulouse but a brilliant try from Sofiane Guitoune just before half-time gifted the hosts a 21-13 lead at the break.
The Carlow back-rower had played just 140 minutes of rugby this season before this weekend but backed himself to still be apart of Joe Schmidt’s plans next month for the November internationals.
“You always back yourself, obviously,” O’Brien told reporters earlier this month. “When I’m as fit and in as good form as I can be, I back myself to play.
“But there are so many quality players as well – you have to be playing very consistently, you can’t have a bad game.
“There’s potentially eight or nine lads in the country who can play in the backrow at international – so that’s what you want, it’s healthy.
“It’s a massive competition here, Dan (Leavy) and Josh, Max (Deegan), Jack Conan, Rhys (Ruddock), they’re all international players.
“So it’s good that they’re driving each other and helping each other in a way, by talking through different combinations and what not, it’s a good place to be.
“Obviously everyone would back themselves when they’re at full fitness.
“Wherever they want me to play, I’ll play, whether that be at six, seven or eight – at the weekend it was six, I don’t know what the plans are this week.
“But wherever I’m rolled out I’ll be prepared to put my best foot forward hopefully, in whatever position, but I’m comfortable in all three. I think most lads are.”
