O’Brien: Even my best form won’t open door for Ireland

Tullow’s London Irishman targets another Lions tour but doesn’t expect call from Farrell

SEÁN O’BRIEN does not believe the IRFU and Andy Farrell will change their unwritten rule on selecting players based overseas for him – even if he can get back to his best form.

The Tullow native’s latest return from injury was put on hold by Covid-19, but having successfully recovered from serious hip surgery to play in March he is in line to play a major role for London Irish during the Premiership run-in, starting away to Bath on Saturday.

Capped 56 times by his country,

O’Brien started all three Tests on the last Lions tour and has ambitions of getting back to that level next year.

And yet, he believes that Farrell and the union will hold the line on the policy regardless of his form.

“To be honest with you, the way it is at the minute I don’t think that will ever happen even,” he said.

“So they will either have to change the rule, because you look at ‘Zeebs’ (Simon Zebo) who has put in some serious shifts in the last couple of seasons that you’d expect that you would be at that level.

“Something will have to be done before that will happen.

“I wouldn’t say (I’m) disappointed, you know when you sign a contract when you’re leaving Ireland that that’s the rule in place as such, so that’s life and you get on with it.

“From the point of view of you playing really well and other people not playing really well, you think that you can still add value to the set-up but that’s completely up to the coaches and the rules they have in place.

“But, if the rule wasn’t there, would I love to play for Ireland? Of course I would. I’d love to play for Ireland every weekend.”

Even if Ireland’s call doesn’t come, O’Brien reckons he has a shot of making the Lions tour of South Africa next summer.

“I’d be dead straight with you, it’s something I haven’t ruled out,” he said.

“It would be a massive honour to be in that position if I could play well enough for London Irish.”