New Leinster contact skills coach Seán O’Brien has had his application to return to club rugby with Tullow RFC rejected on player safety grounds.
The Carlow club had filed an application for the former Ireland international to line out for them this season but the Leinster Branch has ruled out that possibility on the grounds that O’Brien has not spent enough time out of the professional game.
The former British and Irish Lions flanker, who lined out for Tullow before ascending through the professional ranks, was looking to play for his hometown club having moved back to Ireland after a two-year stint with London Irish.
However, under the rules set down by the Leinster Branch, players who have played professionally must have spent two years out of the game before they can play junior rugby.
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O’Brien only retired at the end of last season following his departure from the Gallagher Premiership outfit. He effectively retired from international rugby in 2019 upon leaving Leinster for London Irish, a decision that made him ineligible due to Ireland’s policy of not selecting players based overseas.
The Leinster Branch’s regulation 5.7 on player eligibility prohibits recently retired professionals from playing junior rugby in order to protect players at that level: “All players who have played international (including Sevens), provincial, or professional rugby in any jurisdiction for the senior full team, in the current or last two preceding seasons, shall be ineligible to participate in any competition.”
Tullow compete in Division 1B of the Leinster League and therefore fall under the umbrella of junior rugby.
The rules do not prevent players in O’Brien’s situation from playing in the All-Ireland League. O’Brien is registered with UCD in that competition.
Tullow RFC were granted a hearing in front of the Leinster Branch on Tuesday night as part of their application for O’Brien to play, but it is understood that the decision was straightforward given the regulations.
