O’Donnell on what is next for him in NZ
THE restrictions brought about by the coronavirus crisis have caused upheaval for sporting organisations across the board - though New Zealand appears to be better placed than most for a return to the playing fields.
There are tentative plans for professional sport to resume in the country, with the number of reported cases daily there reducing to single figures in recent weeks.
Sligo man, Conan O’Donnell, remains down under during this crisis, and is eagerly awaiting the return of rugby action.
Having been with the Highlanders, his contract with the Super Rugby club expired recently. The lockdown, in any case, put an end to any possible action, but he is preparing for a return to Mitre 10 side Counties Manukau in August in the absence of a further contract with the Highlanders.
Speaking to The Sligo Champion last week from his Dunedin base, O’Donnell elaborated on the uncertainty that lies ahead.
“For me at the moment I’m out of contract so I don’t really know what is happening,” he said.
“My contract ended the week we went into quarantine so obviously I couldn’t do anything. I have one lined up for Mitre 10 which was meant to start in August but it’s going to be pushed back into September it’s looking like at the moment.
“At the moment I’m just training myself, keeping fit, and waiting for rugby to start I suppose. No one anywhere has a clue what’s happening.”
After a trip to Buenos Aires with the Highlanders, O’Donnell and his teammates went into isolation for 14 days. It was during this time that the country went into lockdown; and a change in routine for rugby players around the country followed. Training has moved from team-based to individual work - but it remains intense.
“We all got plans from both Highlanders and Counties, and actually I live with the S&C coach for the local Mitre 10 team here so he’s got us ticking over and we got some equipment delivered to our house through Highlanders so we’ve got a barbell and some weights just to do some mini-exercises, just to do as much work as you can.
“Then obviously the running and then we have an exercise bike in the house, so I’ve no excuse not to do anything. You’re so bored, you’re just motivated to keep
Everyone is really excited by it because it’ll be the only bit of rugby that will be on TV at the moment.
going. In fact, you’re probably doing too much because you’re just so bored all the time.”
Plans are in the pipeline for a resumption of Super Rugby action within the country, with the country priming itself for a return to normality of some sort in the coming weeks.
Conan said: “There’s a big announcement on Monday by the Prime Minister, so Super Rugby, New Zealand have announced they’re doing a New Zealand franchises, so just with the five teams in New Zealand. I’d love to be part of that, but I don’t know if I will be able to but it doesn’t look like I will.
“No one knows when it will go ahead, but everyone is really excited by it because it’ll be the only bit of rugby that will be on TV at the moment so it will be getting audiences from Europe and everything. Behind closed doors.
“There’s no start date on it yet, they’ll be under strict training guidelines, I don’t think they’ll be allowed do contact for a couple of weeks just the way the laws are over here.”
Indeed, the approach of New Zealand in regard to curbing the impact of Covid-19 has been widely acclaimed worldwide.
Aided by its location, the country has coped well and the work of the government and authorities in the country has gained widespread acclaim.
Offering an insight into the approach there, Conan says there has been huge support for the efforts of the government there.
“New Zealand went into lockdown when they had less cases than Ireland, so the whole country.
“First of all there were a few days when all the people who came into the country had to self-isolate for 14 days, so I missed that deadline, and then there was a two-day transition period where the whole country had to go into lockdown apart from essential services so the only thing that was open was hospitals and supermarkets and just last week it went into level three so that means takeaway and food.
“There has only been 0 to 3 cases each day for the last week, so it looks like we’re going into level 2 next week so that’ll mean that professional sport will be allowed be played and also restaurants will be opened and some outdoor events will be allowed go ahead.
“So basically, it’s going back to normal next week, as normal as it can be in the situation so not too bad. I think the Prime Minister has dealt with it really well, she’s been amazing,
“I think the whole country has been with her the whole way through.”
“It has to be strict [the lockdown] to work out that well.
“All you can do is stay in your two kilometres radius and exercise, luckily I had a beach right beside me and a pitch.
“You weren’t allowed go surfing or swim on the beach because there were no lifeguards on duty with the lockdown. “It eased off a little bit in level three, but in level four you weren’t [allowed swim on the beach].
“So all I was able to do really was go to the pitch, go for a run and just stay at home.”
As O’Donnell himself acknowledges, it is an uncertain time for everyone and for him personally, it is not the ideal time to be seeking a contract in professional sport.
However, while keeping in touch with home, his intention is to remain down under in pursuit of continued progression in the professional game.
“I’m seeing everything on the internet as well, it doesn’t seem like I’m missing much. I probably made the right decision to stay in New Zealand during all of this, we’re essentially pretty much back to normal in the next week or two.
“It is hard to plan or even negotiate contracts with all of this on everyone’s mind, I think everyone just wants to get things back up and running.
“Sponsors obviously want to get their companies back in order, so it’s not really the best time to be looking for a club but hopefully it all works out soon, I’m not stressing out about it yet.”