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'Huge' - London Irish fans' online reaction to O'Brien coup

11 Feb 2019

Ireland flanker Sean O'Brien

After London Irish announced the signing of Seán O’Brien, fans took to Twitter to show their joy at this news.
The Leinster back-row will join up with Declan Kidney after the World Cup, in what looks to be London Irish’s return to England’s top flight of rugby.

O’Brien has consistently been one of the best forwards in world rugby over the past decade and is a huge signing for a London Irish team that are showing a lot of ambition ahead of next season.

Many fans were quick to reiterate the club’s assertion that this is a statement of intent, particularly amongst other signing.

A number of Leinster fans also commented, saying what a wonderful signing O’Brien will be, and how much he will be missed by the Irish province. After all, he has won four European titles with Leinster, as well as being awarded the European Player of the Year in 2011.

Alongside over 50 Ireland caps, and two tours with the British and Irish Lions, this is an indication of the experience that O’Brien will bring to the Gallagher Premiership.

There were some reservations by the Exiles fans regarding the forward’s fitness. O’Brien has been plagued by injury of the past few years, and while he is always immense whenever he plays, it has been a struggle for both Leo Cullen at Leinster and Joe Schmidt with Ireland to keep him healthy. Furthermore, he will be 32 when he arrives, and would have just come from a taxing World Cup in Japan, so it is unclear how much he will be able to give.

The fans were also keen to pick up on Irish’s free-spending approach heading into next season, and are hoping that this is the start of some new announcements. Either way, London Irish clearly want to be a force next season, rather than a team intent on surviving.

This is what the fans had to say:
https://twitter.com/steve091982/status/1094992270384865281
https://twitter.com/BryanMonument/status/1094991804561276928
https://twitter.com/eretail/status/1094991358148907009
https://twitter.com/joshcharlton96/status/1094990061727350785
https://twitter.com/raj_2406/status/1095006300029759490
https://twitter.com/jamieparry85/status/1095001767853608962
https://twitter.com/Hasher83/status/1094993024424312832
https://twitter.com/RoryNorris/status/1094992465734631424
https://twitter.com/jamesbunyan/status/1095005178590359552
https://twitter.com/CPaddyTierney/status/1094996850279632902
https://twitter.com/GeorgeTheDoor/status/1094995655691587586

Huge signing.
— Stephen Thomas (@Stephen56120020) February 11, 2019

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Comments on RugbyPass

BM 6 minutes ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Don’t necessarily disagree but I also think JS is playing along with the corporate line around keeping our players in OZ. “If you leave we will favour the locals ahead of you”.

TV rights are already 10% of NRL / AFL so imagine what they would drop to without our best players and what that would do to the game.

267 Go to comments

d 30 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

totally agree, Aaron Smith proved that the only skills needed for a halfback were fast hands (or so the ladies said) we need to worry more about finding a 10 who can kick accurately and maybe transfer those skills to the rest of the side as well. That said Love needs to tidy up his passing before he slots into 10 at AB level. I’m not totally convinced we have better than Jordan at 14, and Love did fine at fb so put him there for now.

16 Go to comments

PM 32 minutes ago

Tour fortunes of English Lions blur selection picture for Borthwick

Therefore, expect;

1. Genge

2, Cowan Dickie

3. Stuart

4. Itoje

5. Martin

6. Ollie Chessum

7. Tom Curry

8. Tom Willis

9. Mitchell

10. F Smith

11. Freeman

12. Atkinson

13. Slade (until Lawrence returns)

14. Feyi-Waboso

15. Furbank

16. Baxter

17. George

18. Heyes

19. CC-S

20. Earl

21. JvP

22. M Smith

23 O Farrell/E Daly (it’s either or)

Ultimately, Borthwick has to make a decision between Farrell/Ford at 10 or Farrell/Slade at 12 (once Lawrence returns). One or two of the experienced heads will need to miss out from Farrell/Ford/Slade/Daly - there isn’t the room for all 4 in a matchday 23.

6 Go to comments

PM 44 minutes ago

Tour fortunes of English Lions blur selection picture for Borthwick

There is next to no chance of Lawrence being fit for the Autumn Internationals and it’s touch and go if he will be back for the Six Nations (which will be 12 months out).

6 Go to comments

CO 45 minutes ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Kirifis a little guy, only five eleven and replaced a guy who's six foot four in Dalton or Blackadder at six foot three. Lakai is a little larger at six foot one and was in a losing pack against France. The pack definitely is what lost to both France and the Boks. Getting beaten by the benches in the second half. Razor talks about requiring size and then selects short people in the pack. Timoci is another shorty along with Reece, Narawa. I get it if they had amazing x factor but nine is these small guys do. The Fijian Allblacks would struggle to make the Fiji team.

16 Go to comments

NH 48 minutes ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Someone flagged it the other day, he seems to enter contact in a different body shape than what an ardie or bobby does which allows them to keep their feet better. I don’t think he will ever be quite as effective as bobby in that regard, but if he could get half way there it could make a difference for those brutal, in tight carries where you’re on a hiding to nothing.

267 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Probably one of the better Wallabies side in the last decade too. A shame they can’t bring Skelton, but the pack is still huge with Tupou, Frost, Pollard, Wilson, and Valetini/Hooper

16 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Would be a pretty handy excuse but Ratima is not all bad so can’t really see an argument for losing as having the 4th best halfback in the world playing instead of the best.

16 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Stress fracture for Roigard so nothing too serious, should be back for the Bledisloe games I think, but he could pull a Waisake Naholo and get some voodoo magic to bring him back earlier.

As for Mounga, he isn’t the ‘first-choice’ necessarily even though he probably is the best flyhalf that is eligible to play for NZ. His status in Japan jeopardizes his position as All Blacks 10 since the ABs don’t pick overseas players. Can’t blame him though, 3 million dollars is hard to turn down (but it is something NZR could’ve matched if they weren’t so shortsighted). He got a broken hand playing in the JRLO final, which he won to make it 9 consecutive league titles he has won.

16 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson explains 'hugely challenging' five-halfback situation

Kirifi is big what are we talking about? Also, ABs pack is NOT what faltered last year against SA

16 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

I cover the other half of Nick's CV and I don't get paid either 😂

267 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

I'm a Sale fan myself and was amazed that they didn't get a go in green.

We used to have a meme:

“You say you're a Sale fan but I bet you can't name four of their players”

“Du Preez”

267 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

That's probably why he got that soft tissue injury!

267 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

You're right of course. I suppose, at the time, the match seemed a cut above the rest of the tour to that point and the Lions were really rattled.

267 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Yes he tried to bully me with “you don't know about my profession” condescension to distract from his inability to rebut my arguments and it's always better to use calm logic in those circumstances.

If he really believes that people just can't handle views they don't agree with he must be totally deluded.

His management style comes across as very short termist and narrowly focused. I'd hate to work for him and prefer to remain a mere amateur!

Well done by the way for building the community here.

267 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Mick Cleary: 'These blokes have done the jersey proud, with their buy-in and with their relish.'

Jesus PR that’s another great conclusion. I can definitely see it as blocker to bringing through new talent in time for the WC. NZ underwent a lot of change in 2018 following the Lions tour, in part thanks to key injuries. Despite the revenue spending Aaron Cruden (getting frail even at his young age then) and Lima Sopoaga (along with Julien Savea), 2 of the 3 1st5s in the Lions squad, both left before the 2019 WC for example. But when we apply your logic, their delayed departure prevented Richie Mounga and Damien McKenzie (the 15 who got injured and threw a spanner in the works) from brought through in what would possible now be considered the preferred WC preparation. Ditto on the win with a scramble of constant change their all the way through to their WC 3rd/4th playoff.

Theres certainly cause to account for certain circumstances eventuating being influenced by a Lions tour. But as both nations here select from domestic players only, theres also cause to put similar emphasis on the contracting model in general, as sometimes you can hold on too long. Ireland has a similar model, talking to another irishman here he suggests it has lead to selecting based on contracts, money being spent on a player centrally contracted. So I would not so much worry about fatigue (in part because some incomplete analysis I had done on all.rugby shows the Irish contingent have low minutes this year) but continuing to select underperforming and aging players. When in a pure context of building for a WC, one would normally want to move on an develop the future.

23 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

Counterintuitively the forwards that have come through in the 2020s have been better than any era since the Brodie generation. Not sure how we've managed that!

267 Go to comments

Hammer Head 1 hour ago

Australia vs South Africa | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

Why is this taking so long😤

2 Go to comments

JD Kiwi 1 hour ago

'The success of Skelton, Hooper and Tupou should trigger a rethink on Australia’s overseas selection criteria'

I did like the use of the power runners and what happened off the back of them. Unfortunately Fisher isn't a defensive coach, shame Kiss couldn't join early in that role.