O’Brien to miss out in November
hip operations for Leinster flanker Sean O’Brien.
SEAN O’BRIEN’S chances of making the Lions tour to Australia next summer have suffered a further blow as it was revealed yesterday that the Ireland flanker will not be fit enough to play in the November Test series. Leinster coach Joe Schmidt said that, after further surgery to his hip, the second procedure of the summer for the 25-year-old, O’Brien’s previous comeback date of November had been pushed back with a time frame uncertain. ‘We’re hopeful that by the end of November, mid-December, somewhere in that range, that Sean might be available,’ said Schmidt yesterday.
WHATEVER of Sean O’Brien recovering in time to audition for the Lions tour, his provincial coach categorically denied that he would be making the trip to Australia as part of Warren Gatland’s coaching team.
Refreshed from the summer break, Leinster coach Joe Schmidt is embarking on the daunting challenge of guiding his players to their third European title in a row but was quick to shoot down any suggestions he would join the Irish brigade in the Lions touring party.
Since arriving at Leinster two years ago, Schmidt has implemented an expansive, quick-witted style of play which has led to a clamour for him to succeed Declan Kidney as Ireland coach.
His stock has risen in his homeland of New Zealand where his name has been linked to the head coach position at the Auckland Blues.
Schmidt’s achievements with Leinster have not gone unnoticed in English and Welsh rugby circles either and yesterday he addressed the idea of been offered a position as attack/backs coach by his old friend and compatriot Gatland, who is expected to be named head coach.
‘I think it would be fantastic for anyone to be i nvolved,’ said Schmidt, who believes Wales backs coach Rob Howley is the front runner for such a position, given that he led the Welsh summer tour to Australia in Gatland’s absence, and has previous coaching and playing experience with the Lions.
‘I thought Wales did a great job down there [in Australia]. They didn’t quite get the results but even the rugby was very competitive, quite open, was good viewing. I think as an adjunct to that Rob Howley was down there doing a pretty good job as Gats had broken his heels.
‘I think on the basis of that he obviously orientated himself well, he learnt about the Australian rugby climate and some of the key players they have at the moment so he’d be fairly well placed to go back down there I would think.
‘Whoever gets that role it would be a fantastic role for them, I can categorically say I haven’t been approached so I don’t think it’s going to be me.’
As for the chances of his star flanker O’Brien making it back to the pitch, let alone pulling on a Lions jersey, the coach had to readjust the province’s expectations since his latest hip surgery last Monday. O’Brien is yet to start his rehabilitation programme and Schmidt said: ‘He’s feeling pretty good about the operation but it’s a long, slow process.’
Only two weeks ago the province were hopeful O’Brien could be back by early November, with the player himself setting his sights on Ireland’s Tests with South Africa and Argentina, but that is now a non-runner.
However, as Schmidt prepares for Leinster’s first RaboDirect PRO12 game of the season away to Scarlets on Saturday evening, he had better news surrounding the rest of his players involved in the IRFU player welfare programme, some of whom may be available as early as next week.
‘There’s a couple who may be back next week who didn’t have game time of any great amount in New Zealand,’ he said. ‘The vast majority of them come back in weeks three and four [of the PRO12].
‘I think one of the great difficulties for us is if you suddenly implant 10 changes into your starting group, especially because they start on the field with us tomorrow. They haven’t done anything with us at all, they’ve done a full pre-season [separately] so there’s no real continuity in the rugby programme for them at the moment. So they’ll be involved on the field again next week and then we start to integrate them.’ LONDON IRISH and Scotland centre Joe Ansbro is recovering in hospital after suffering a broken neck against Munster last Friday.
Ansbro sustained the injury during a pre-season tour match and remains in a Cork hospital. He will return to the UK later this week. ‘Joe broke a small bone at the top of his neck early in the game’s second half,’ said London Irish in a statement.
Ansbro’s f ather, Paul, was relieved his son escaped more serious damage. ‘They’ve put a metal halo on his head that’s got to be in place 24/7 for three months,’ he said.
‘That was the thing they were most concerned about; Joe’s still got movement in his hands and feet.