The news has been confirmed that Seán O'Brien has signed with AIL 1B side Naas RFC, after recently being denied the right to play for his local club Tullow in the Leinster League.
The Leinster contact skills coach was not given permission to line out for Tullow due to the fact that they are a junior club and that O'Brien only retired from top-level rugby last year. The laws currently state that: "All players who have played international (including Sevens), provincial, or professional rugby in any jurisdiction for the senior full team, in the current or last two preceding seasons, shall be ineligible to participate in any competition.”
The news was first reported by KFM before the club also confirmed the news to the Irish Times.
Seán O'Brien Joins Naas
3 October 2022; Contact skills coach Seán O'Brien during a Leinster rugby squad training session at UCD in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
READ HERE: Seán O'Brien Sanctioned By IRFU For 'Inappropriate Behaviour'
Seán O'Brien joined the Leinster coaching set-up this season, replacing Denis Leamy - who has since joined Munster - as the province's contact skills coach.
"On the rugby pitch, Seán at his best was virtually unplayable and he was an amazing contributor to Leinster, Ireland and the Lions," said Leinster head coach Leo Cullen after O'Brien's appointment. "In a Leinster shirt, he played a key role in some of our greatest days on the European stage and we hope he can pass on some of his vast experience and winning mentality to our current squad.
“I know that Seán has always been a keen student of the game and has been heavily involved with coaching in Tullow RFC going back to his early playing days. We believe he has a very bright future in coaching and I think it’s a win-win for both sides to have him back here."
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