Seán O’Brien: Irish Wolfhounds the first step on the road to regaining his Ireland place

“I thought it was a load of shite to be honest.”

The answer came from a question about criticism heaped upon Leinster in Seán O’Brien’s absence. Even considering the rise of others, the game has missed him something fierce.

“I thought everything was being put (down) to Matt (O’Connor) . . . Some of the comments by some people were very unfair.”

All that has been allayed, for now, by Leinster making the Champions Cup quarter-final and a natural change of focus that comes with the Six Nations. And O’Brien’s latest return for the Irish Wolfhounds tonight.

Expectation

Sports journalists were hardly piling into O’Connor, although public opinion went very sour, perhaps because levels of expectation exceeded reality?

“Maybe they’re a bit spoilt,” O’Brien responded. “But we demand high standards of ourselves. It wasn’t good enough and, for me looking in from the outside, but going in training every day, you know the lads were disappointed with the performances, you know they’re upset about it but they’re trying to put it right.”

Speaking at the Guinness plus app launch on Wednesday, O’Brien also rejected the ridiculous theory that the moaning was coming solely from a south Dublin faction. Or that’s why rural Leinster folk were more enamoured to Munster way back when.

“Ah, when I was starting out maybe but I don’t know if that’s the case anymore,” said the Carlow native.

Giving out

“You could be sitting having your dinner at home or in the local and you hear them giving out about the way Leinster are playing. They’d be given out 10 minutes later about the way Munster are playing or they’d be giving out about something.

“People in Ireland look to give out about something. It’s just part of our make-up probably. Everyone’s going to have their opinions and be different but going back to the criticism of Leinster: it was right to be criticising and be harsh on the way the team was playing, but I thought Matt took a lot of flack that he didn’t need to take when it wasn’t his doing. But that’s my opinion.”

Ireland’s style

It’s also his opinion that Ireland’s style of play must and will evolve in 2015.

“I think we’ll play a little bit more off the cuff, we’ll probably throw the ball around a little bit more. Just from the last few days, I can’t say exactly what way we’re going to play, but I know from Johnny (Sexton) and hearing the lads around the place we probably are going to play a bit more open rugby than last year. Because if we play the same as we did we’ll end up third or fourth this year.

“Every team is going to be stronger, so I think it will definitely be a better, a more open brand of rugby.

“If we’ve everyone fit it’s exciting to think about. Hendo’s (Iain Henderson) probably one of the most powerful players in the country at the minute. Lukey’s (Luke Fitzgerald) very sharp. He’s done really well for us over the last month or so and hopefully that will continue. The more games he gets the sharper he’ll be.”

Into consideration

It’s already suggested by Joe Schmidt that O’Brien might come into consideration for Rome next weekend. This all sounds a little insulting to Jordi Murphy and Tommy O’Donnell.

“I know I have a big fight on my hands because even last year with the balance of the backrow they went very well. The three boys can all play there and I will have to prove myself in training first and foremost.”

That fight is already underway.

“You see little niggles in training, lads having a little go at each other to set a marker down and that’s what it’s about as well, it’s good to have that competition.”

Wrecking ball

The hardened midland farmer cracks a smile. During these past few months, when denied the joy of swinging from ruck to tackle like a wrecking ball, he would whistle to his black Labrador and Springer Spaniel, load the shotgun and go off shooting pheasant.

“I go off for the day with them. You’re just on your own, disappear, out for a walk. That’s what I done most to be honest, any chance I got, any day off I had, I went off with them. Done a little bit on the farm but nothing major, I was trying to chill out more than work as such.”

Enough of that now.