“If Ireland win the World Cup, the country would go on shutdown for a couple of weeks” – Sean O’Brien

The Carlow native must be itching to get out there.

Sean O'Brien is occupying a weird middle ground and surely can't wait to get out on the pitch again. The Leinster flanker has not played since December but, such is his talent, he should be on the plane for the 2019 World Cup. So, as he loomed over us at the Bearing Point headquarters on Adelaide Road, O'Brien was asked all about injuries and the World Cup. He will as sick of talking about injury and rehab as he was with actual injury and rehab. The 31-year-old injured his hip at the tail-end of an excellent British & Irish Lions tour. That delayed his return to Leinster action - 59 minutes against Treviso aside - until late October. He only played six times for his province and, after badly injuring his shoulder in a win over Exeter Chiefs, sat out the rest of the season. Be it at the pitch, training ground, gym or in video review and tactic sessions, O'Brien played a part in Leinster's double triumph of 2017/18. That's what they tell him anyway but he's reluctant to take much credit. "It' an unusual one," he says, "because it's not the same when you are not involved.

"Obviously I added a bit to the set-up and was involved earlier on... everyone is telling you that sort of stuff, but you play to be there, to be part of the big finals and to be out on the field. It's very different, so it is, not contributing on the field, on the day. "Bit of a strange one. The lads are on a different buzz to what you are. But that's human nature as well. You are disappointed; you're happy though as well. It's mixed emotions. "The lads don't forget about you, well, completely anyway but it's strange. They've put in the work on the field. You've added a bit to the set-up off the field but, other than that, you can't do much for them."

O'Brien is hoping to be back playing in a few weeks into the new season but no return date has been set. He will chat to the Leinster coaches and medics again, next week, and look to circle in a fixture on the Guinness PRO14 calendar. [caption id="attachment_174765" align="alignnone" width="800"] Robbie Henshaw and Sean O'Brien pictured at the announcement of Leinster Rugby’s new innovation partnership with BearingPoint (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)[/caption] It wasn't all injuries and tournaments, in fact. O'Brien was asked if he was at Croke Park for the All-Ireland hurling final and if Ireland were capable of delivering similar scenes as unfolded down in Limerick after they captured the Liam MacCarthy. He baulked at that comment, mindful of the big parties held after recent Grand Slam and Champions Cup wins.

"I was at the [Limerick] match and it was good, but I think we have done that and we have given people that buzz in the past. We gave a lot of people that buzz last season, both with Leinster and Ireland.  "Yeah, if we go and win the World Cup, the buzz will be a lot better than Limerick winning the All-Ireland, I'd say. Yeah, I'd say the country would go on shutdown for a couple of weeks."

Cutting straight to it, then, can Ireland win the World Cup. "Yeah," he replies, "I believe we can. "We have the squad of players to definitely go further than we have in previous years. It's building nicely as well, in terms of young lads coming through again this year. It's a great mix of youth and experience. I think we have to belief that, yeah."