IRELAND rugby star Sean O’Brien admitted his preferred option would be to play number six or eight for his country, acknowledging that he’d “do more damage” from these positions.
Speaking at the County Carlow Sports Star Awards, the overall winner was asked by RTÉ rugby analysis Brent Pope to comment on the controversy surrounding his ongoing selection at number seven, with one of its strongest critics Brent’s RTÉ colleague George Hook.
Sean admitted that he “didn’t think Ireland get the best out of him” playing him at number seven, agreeing with Brent that the position did restrict his natural ball carrying abilities and also required a different style of play.
“It is different to play at seven, you can get tied up at the back of scrums and it’s a little harder to get to the ball, but it’s the coach’s choice and that’s where I’ve been selected to play,” said Sean.
“But yes, I do feel I could do more damage from six or eight,” he added.
Sean expressed his delight at winning the overall 2012 County Carlow Sports Star Award, an honour that mean so much coming from his own county.
“I’m proud of where I’m from and I’ve always stuck by that, it means a lot to win this award and I’d like to thank The Nationalist and congratulate all the award winners here tonight,” he said.
“Hopefully I’ll keep doing what I’m doing from my club, my county and my country,” Sean added.
Brent asked Sean about the reaction among the players to the cancellation of the Paris games and the affect it had on the players.
“I think it was more a benefit than a loss,” he said, adding that the squad enjoyed a good night out in Paris.
Sean added his belief that this brought the team together and also enhanced the training over the past week.
“We are better prepared for the Italy game as a result and it gave us another week to prepare,” he said.
Sean admitted than the team had “learnt lessons” from the Welsh game. “As players we didn’t front up that day, we sat back and let them run at us, they are such a big threatening team,” he said.
In terms of Leinster the Tullow Tank thinks the side is more than capable of winning another Heineken Cup. “We are all guns out to try and win another Heineken Cup, it’s a big challenge but one we are ready for,” he said.
Sean said that as a young 16 or 17 year old, the prospect of playing for his province or his country was always an aspiration and to be in that position now was something special, playing with rugby’s best players.
He added his hope that one day he would be selected to play for the Lions.
“You’ve got a gem of a player here, not just in Ireland but one of the best in the world,” concluded Brent.