Mighty’ Quin

By Julian Bennetts

Monday, October 08, 2012

IF HARLEQUINS take Leinster’s Heineken Cup crown they may have to thank the unusual combination of Michael Phelps, Terenure College in Dublin and Alabama’s United States Sports Academy.

The three don’t often go hand-in-hand, but perhaps it requires something special to dethrone Brian O’Driscoll, Jonny Sexton and friends. And under the stewardship of Conor O’Shea, Harlequins are threatening to be pretty special indeed.

Last May they were crowned champions of England just three years after the Bloodgate scandal ripped the club asunder.

It was a triumph built on the core values brought in by an injection of young, English talent — and overseen by an affable 42-year-old from Limerick, one who combines the best of the amateur era with all the trappings of professionalism.

O’Shea was forged in Terenure College, following in a long line of rugby players — specifically full-backs who have graduated to full international honours. Yet as he worked in a bank while representing Ireland and Leinster, his focus was on the future.

The advent of the professional game ensured he headed to America to complete a Masters in sports science.

Now, after spells at London Irish, the RFU and the English Institute of Sport, O’Shea has found his perfect home. He still has time to broaden his horizons though, hence his decision to be part of a panel assessing British Swimming’s disappointing performance at this summer’s Olympics, where he will be joined by Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps’ former coach.

Yet Harlequins dominates his here and now.

Their progression to the top of the English game has been rapid, and now they will attempt to conquer Europe, too. Marshalled by England captain Chris Robshaw and New Zealand fly-half Nick Evans on the pitch, O’Shea is the undisputed boss off it.

O’Shea makes it clear he is a man shaped by his experiences. Where better to start, then, than his time at Terenure.

“I couldn’t have loved school life any more than I did there,” says O’Shea as a broad smile crosses his face.

“The sad thing is it’s 25 years since I left and there will probably be a reunion where we will all feel like we’re 18 again.

“It’s just a great, great school and a great community. When I’m next over I will walk around the grounds as it’s what school should be about — academically driven but sporting driven as well with a great balance.

“They taught me team willingness, a love of rugby and playing it for the right reasons.

“And in Girvan Dempsey, Ciaran Clarke and myself there have been a few good full-backs come out of there — though young Billy Dardis looks like he will be the best of them all.”

And for O’Shea, the lessons he was taught at Terenure led to a stellar career with Leinster, London Irish and Ireland. Yet he was a man with one eye on the future.

“I had done my commerce degree and my law degree and was working in an Ulster Investment Bank, but I just loved sport. Once we knew that professionalism was coming in 1995 I knew that the opportunity to work in sport, using the skills I learnt in college, was perfect for me, and that was why going to Alabama interested me.

“What did I learn there? Well first of all that I don’t like the heat! It was so hot and humid.

“But I met some great people, and everything I learnt at Terenure and UCD was applied in a sporting context. It opens your eyes to sport as you meet a lot of like-minded people who live for their game.

“A team is a team no matter what sport you play. And you can’t coach spirit and you can’t coach character.

“You can help people understand what those things are about, but it comes down to something inbuilt. I can’t give Chris Robshaw what he has got, or Nick Evans, Mike Brown or Joe Marler. That warrior element is inbuilt. You don’t have to be the best to win; it comes down to who combines talent with desire. That’s what my job is all about.”

And so far there can be no doubt it is working.

The values that O’Shea brought when he arrived in Mar 2010 were vital, but he is keen to deflect attention onto others.

“I don’t know how much I changed it,” he says when asked about the culture at Quins. “There was a huge amount of work done over a number of years to bring it here today.

“We talk about the history of this club a lot. It’s 146 years old, and you only get a small opportunity to write your name in that history. These guys have decided they want to write a chapter for themselves.”

And O’Shea is fortunate that he has found a club which encourages his outside interests — like being asked to judge the performances of Rebecca Adlington, Liam Tancock and Michael Jamieson at the Aquatics Centre this summer.

“Sitting down next to Michael Phelps’ former coach will be pretty special for me,” says O’Shea. “I might be in awe but I will learn a huge amount and I hope I can contribute to it.”

So far, both O’Shea and Harlequins deserve every accolade they have received — and there should be many more.

Irish Examiner  http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/mighty-quin-210216.html

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