O'Brien poised to take on lead role

By Mark Stevens
12/11/21

Having spent this season as part of the Exeter Chiefs support cast, Irishman Sean O’Brien will be thrust into a lead role tomorrow as he gears up to make his first start for the club.

It’s a day the former Connacht star has been waiting patiently for – particularly as he rocked up from Galway in the final weeks of last season.

That early arrival, though, he insists has been hugely beneficial, even if his game time has to date been somewhat restricted.

“Getting in early was massive, it meant coming in for pre-season was so much easier,” said O’Brien. “It meant I didn’t have to spend weeks introducing myself and working on learning everything, it meant I could hit the ground running, which was important.”

Now well entrenched into Chiefs life, O’Brien hopes to showcase his talents this afternoon on the Sandy Park stage, forming a powerful midfield partnership alongside Ian Whitten, as the hosts look to down local rivals Bristol Bears in their opening Premiership Rugby Cup fixture of the season.

“I’m looking forward to it,” added O’Brien. “It’s been a long time coming, but I’ve put in a lot of hard work, especially these last few weeks, and now I can’t wait to get out there and play. I had a taste of being in the first team last weekend [against Newcastle], but now I have the opportunity to go from the outset.

“Bristol, we know, will be tough opponents. We’re not too sure whose going to play for them, but their game plan will be much the same as normal. They’ll look to attack, play with a bit of space, and look to take us on.

“Although we’ve changed things up a little this week, a lot of what we do each week in terms of our structure and our shape is still there. If anything, we can throw caution to the wind and look to play a bit more. It’s an opportunity for a lot of us and, hopefully, we can take it.”

Over the years the Premiership Rugby Cup has offered the perfect arena for young Chiefs to prove their worth, offering them the stage to not only gain crucial game time, but use it as a springboard for progression within the game.

“It’s definitely a stepping stone for us as players,” added O’Brien. “Every time you train – and especially when you play – you want to put your best foot forward. For all of us this weekend, it’s a big opportunity because there will be lots of people watching.

“As players we set ourselves high standards and now we have to go out and show that. It’s going to be a challenging match, but it’s one that we’re all looking forward to.”