Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RORY AIMS TO BE THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION
RORY O’LOUGHLIN is intent on cashing in on the opportunity handed to him at the start of the new season.
Injuries to Garry
Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw – the latter will be back in a few weeks, the former not until probably November – made it a bunfight at Leinster for the centre positions.
But then injuries to Noel Reid and Tom Daly represented something of a crisis for the province at centre and Leo Cullen plumped for Isa Nacewa to partner O’loughlin there.
The 23-year-old said: “Garry I don’t think was expecting to be out for as long as he is, but straight away people were highlighting to me there was an opportunity.
“It is a good chance for me to try and cement a place and push on and compete at the centre position.
“Obviously there’s still two or three lads, Tom Daly, right, went down injured as well and will be out for the foreseeable, so it’s short enough in the centre but it’s not a case of just filling in there.
“The three of them will come back and it’s going to be about competing against myself more so than competing against other people, that’s how players become the best they can be, trying to continuously improve.”
O’loughlin should remain in midfield against Cardiff Blues on Friday and is hitting the new season full of confidence as a new Ireland Test cap – he came on after an hour in the last tour game against Japan.
The Dubliner describes this season as “definitely” a big one as he looks to establish himself further for province and country.
“There’s an opportunity now to get gametime and perform well, and hopefully put the coaches under pressure when everyone is fit and running,” he said.
“I’ve played in big games so it’s more about how I can exploit defences and impose my game on teams, rather than just trying to hold my own.”