Sean O'Brien set for rugby return in the AIL
- 3689
Former Ireland and Lions flanker Sean O'Brien is set to make his return to rugby with AIL club Naas Rugby.
O'Brien tried to play his home town club, Tullow RFC in his native County Carlow, but was denied due to ‘safety concerns’ by the IRFU.
Regulations stated that no player could play junior rugby within two seasons of playing rugby for the full-season team of a professional outfit.
Kfm reports that Naas RFC has signed the player, who will be an enormous addition to their AIL campaign.
Following his retirement from professional rugby, O'Brien returned to Leinster as the Province's Contact Skills Coach ahead of the new season.
O'Brien come through the Leinster Academy system and played 126 times for the side.
He was part of the PRO12/14 winning squads in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019, famously lifting the trophy in Celtic Park.
He has four Heineken Champions Cup medals, starting in the Heineken Cup Finals of 2011 and 2012, and also a Challenge Cup medal in 2013.
O'Brien made his Ireland debut in the RDS Arena in November 2009 against Fiji and won 54 Ireland caps scoring six tries in total.
He was a member of the Ireland 2015 Six Nations-winning squad and was on two tours with the British and Irish Lions, winning 11 caps.