Bryan O'Connor hoping road less travelled in his rugby career leads him back to Munster

CORK'S Bryan O’Connor is taking the road less-travelled with regards his professional rugby career, with him hoping that his summer move to English Championship side the Bedford Blues will fast-track his development as a grizzly tight head.

“I was in Gloucester for two years and left in the summer to find game time as I felt as a tight head that I need to be playing week in, week out.

“The weeks I wasn’t playing, I felt that I just wasn’t learning enough of my craft, so at Bedford now I’m hoping to get as much gametime as I can and to try and learn through an attritional league about what my game is about and push on from there.” 

Given his time at Gloucester, and the sight of some familiar faces in the Goldington Road dressing room, settling in was never going to be an issue for the Crosshaven native.

“It has been a fairly easy transition from going from Gloucester to Bedford. 

"I’ve been in the UK for a number of years now so I’m definitely used to being away from home, but Bedford – the club itself – it is a real family club, and the players are really close, and the coaches have been really supportive, so it has been an easy enough transition.

There are a few Irish lads here too, which makes it even better. 

"There’s another Corkman in Bedford, Sean French, and a guy from Limerick, Joey Conway. So, it has been an easy enough transition to be honest.

“Myself and Sean have been friends since our Pres days. We both played the whole way up with Pres. 

"He was the year below me in school. We played a Bowen Shield and we won a Senior Cup together so it was nice to have the reunion back with Sean, because we hadn’t played with each other since our Pres days, so it is a bit of a blast from the past.

“For years we used to call Bedford the Bedford Welsh because there were a lot of Welsh people here but I think now the Irish guys are taking over, as there are a good few of us. 

"It’s great to be away from home and then have that Irish connection still, and we’re all very close, so it’s great.” 

Despite enjoying the opportunity that Bedford is affording him to get valuable playing minutes under his belt O’Connor still has eyes on the big picture.

The ultimate goal would be to get back to Ireland and play rugby, so I’m just kind of taking it week by week here and trying to play as much as I can, and see where I go from there.” 

The 25-year-old prop played for Ireland at the 2018 U20 World Rugby Championship in the same year as Munster’s Diarmuid Barron, Jack O’Sullivan, Jack Daly and Sean O’Brien, as well as the likes of Caelan Doris, Dan Sheehan and Harry Byrne, and believes he has the ability to get back playing in that sort of company.

“There were a lot of lads on that team and they’ve all kicked on and done really well. 

"The goal was always to go away to England, to learn my trade and hopefully to come home, but at the moment I’m really enjoying it in Bedford, am really enjoying playing with the team.

“I grew up watching Munster, going to all their games and everything, and am a Corkman and a Munster man through and through, so I would be lying if I said I wasn’t watching Munster week in and week out thinking that I would love to be there, and if there is any opportunity with any side in Ireland I would love to go home and take it with two hands.” 

FOCUSED

For now, the focus is very much on Bedford.

“I think for Bedford as a team we’re hoping to take it week by week and win every game. We’re looking at the top four.

“The lads had a really good season last year. They want to add to that. 

"They came fourth last year so I think trying to get to the top of the league – we’re not sure what is happening with Championship clubs going up the Premiership or anything like that - but I think as a squad we are building really nicely. 

"I think we should be up at the top part of the table and that’s the plan.”