Red rose not on O’Connor’s radar, yet

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

WHEN Brendon O’Connor meets his Leicester Tigers teammates next week he will be joining the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987.

Leicester, who started this season’s Aviva premiership with a 28-16 win away to London Irish last weekend, hold the record for being English champions — 10 times, four more than either Bath or Wasps, the next most successful clubs.

Leicester last won the Aviva Premiership title in the 2012/2013 season but appeared in a record nine premiership finals from 2005 to 2013.

“They have a great tradition and I’m excited about playing for them,” O’Connor said.

“I’ll be joining a team with a lot of experienced internationals, playing in new competitions at venues I’ve never been to, and meeting opponents I’ve never played against.

“I’ll be living in a country on the other side of the world. It’s all a challenge but one my partner Kirsty and I are looking forward to.”

O’Connor, who is eligible to wear the red rose of England through his grandmother, said representative honours were not on the radar at this stage.

“All I want to do is play good footy and cement a place in the Tigers team,” he said.

“If things go well and the opportunity to play for England comes up

then obviously I’d look at it. First things first . . .

I want to get over there and start playing as soon as I can.”The Tigers have never finished a league season below sixth and are one of only four teams (along with Gloucester, Bath and Wasps) never to have been relegated from the top division. They are the only English side to have qualified to play in every Heineken Cup in which English teams have taken part, and are also the most successful English side in Europe — back-to-back champions in 2001 and 2002 and losing finalists in 1997, 2007 and 2009.

The 2015/2016 squad includes international players from England, Australia, Argentinia and Fiji. Their most experienced players are current Argentinian prop Marcos Ayerza with 214 games for the Tigers and 65 caps for the Pumas, England and British and Irish Lions prop Dan Coles (134/56) and England flanker Jordan Crane (211/3).

The Tigers also feature the Young brothers, Ben and Tom, who have represented England on 52 and 28 occasions respectively. Halfback Ben has played 211 games for the Tigers.

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience playing alongside and against so many good players,” O’Connor said.

Like any good Kiwi, the 1.86-metre, 102-kilogram O’Connor has been watching the Rugby World Cup.

“The ABs played really well at the weekend, which was great to see, especially after the pressure they came under for the way they played in pool matches,” said O’Connor, who was in the 2009 IRB junior world championship team.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how they go against South Africa this weekend. They were under pressure to perform against France and they did. They were really impressive.”