Eric O'Sullivan

Last updated

Eric O'Sullivan
Eric O'Sullivan 2021.jpg
Date of birth (1995-11-30) 30 November 1995 (age 28)
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) [1]
Weight117 kg (18 st 6 lb; 258 lb)
School Templeogue College
University Trinity College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
20–2017 Dublin University ()
2017– Banbridge 18 (5)
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018– Ulster 120 (10)
Correct as of 26 October 2024 [2]
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020– Ireland 1 (0)
Correct as of 5 December 2020

Eric O'Sullivan (born 30 November 1995) is an Irish rugby union player who plays loosehead prop for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster and internationally for Ireland.

Born in Dublin, O'Sullivan attended Templeogue College and Trinity College, where he completed a business studies course. [3] [4] He played in the back row at school, and converted to the front row at Trinity. [5]

O'Sullivan represented his native Leinster at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-20 level, but missed out on a place in Leinster's academy. Strong performances for Dublin University in the All-Ireland League caught the attention of Ulster and, after an appearance for Ulster's 'A' side in early 2017, He joined the Ulster academy. [6] [7]

He made his senior debut for Ulster off the bench in their 15–13 win against Welsh side Scarlets in the opening round of the 2018–19 Pro14 on 1 September 2018, [3] and made his first start for the province in their 39–39 draw against South African side Cheetahs on 21 September 2018. [8] He made 26 appearances, including 16 starts, and made 251 tackles, while still an academy player, in 2018–19, [9] and was named Young Player of the Year in the 2019 Ulster Rugby Awards. [10] He signed his first senior contract with Ulster in February 2019. [11] He made 18 appearances, including 10 starts, in 2019–20. [2]

He made 21 appearances, including 16 starts, and 155 tackles, in 2020–21. [12] [13] He made his 50th appearance for Ulster in November 2020. [14] He made his debut for Ireland against Scotland in the Autumn Nations Cup on 5 December 2020, replacing Cian Healy. [15] At the end of the season he was named in the 2020–21 Pro14 Dream Team. [16]

In the 2021–22 season, he has made 17 appearances, including 7 starts. [2]

He was appointed scrum coach of Ulster Women in July 2023. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster Rugby</span> Rugby union team in island of Ireland

Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the Irish regional pool of the United Rugby Championship and in the European Rugby Champions Cup, each of which they have won once. Ulster were the first Irish team and the first team outside England and France to win the European Cup in 1999.

Michael Bent is a New Zealand born rugby union player who can play as a tight or loosehead prop. He played for Leinster in the Pro14 and represented Ireland at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cooney (rugby union)</span> Irish rugby union player

John Cooney is an Irish rugby union player who plays scrum-half for Irish provincial side Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup, having previously played for Leinster and Connacht, and has eleven caps for Ireland. Since joining Ulster in 2017, he has been nominated for EPCR European Player of the Year once, been named in the Pro14 Dream Team four times, and been Ulster's player of the year twice.

Jack McGrath is a former Irish rugby union player who played loosehead prop. He played professionally for Leinster and Ulster and has also played international rugby for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart McCloskey</span> Irish rugby union player (born 1992)

Stuart McCloskey is a professional rugby union player from Northern Ireland, who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team.

Andrew Warwick is an Irish rugby union player who plays loosehead prop for Ulster Rugby.

Dan McFarland is an English rugby union coach and former player. He was head coach of Ulster Rugby from 2018 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan O'Connor (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Alan O'Connor is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays lock for Ulster. He was Ulster's player of the year in 2020–21, and won the United Rugby Championship's Tackle Machine award for 2021–22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Reidy</span> Rugby player

Sean Reidy is a New Zealand-born Irish rugby union player who played flanker for Ulster Rugby from 2014 to 2022, and has two caps for Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Timoney</span> Rugby player

Nick Timoney is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the back row for Ulster and Ireland. He is regarded as a "hybrid" player, an athletic forward with the pace of a back. He was named in the 2021–22 United Rugby Championship Dream Team.

Michael Lowry is an Irish rugby union player from Northern Ireland who plays fullback and out-half for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster, and internationally for Ireland. Doubted early on because of his small stature, he has exceptional footwork and acceleration. Ireland coach Andy Farrell describes him as a "nightmare" to play against, praising his explosiveness and bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom O'Toole (rugby union)</span> Irish rugby union player

Thomas Niall O'Toole is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team.

The 2019–20 PRO14 was the nineteenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It was the third season to be referred to as the PRO14.

Marcus Rea is an Irish rugby union player who plays in the back row for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup.

Matthew Dalton is an Irish rugby union player. He formerly played for Newcastle Falcons (2021-23) and Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster. He plays primarily as a lock, but can also play as a flanker, and represented Malone in the All-Ireland League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart Moore</span> Irish rugby union player

Stewart Moore is an Irish rugby union player who plays centre for Ulster. Ulster coach Dan McFarland describes him as "a lovely balanced runner who can cause defences problems". Ulster and Ireland wing Jacob Stockdale calls him " a serious talent ... one of those players where everything seems to come naturally for him. Really good passer, kicker, good feet ... a very, very talented all-rounder".

Callum Reid is an Irish rugby union player who plays loosehead prop for United Rugby Championship side Ulster.

The 2020–21 season was Ulster's 27th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Dan McFarland's third season as head coach. Iain Henderson was captain. They competed in the Pro14, the Pro14 Rainbow Cup, the European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

The 2019–20 season was Ulster's 26th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Dan McFarland's second season as head coach. Lock Iain Henderson was named captain in place of retired hooker Rory Best. They competed in the Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup. Both competitions were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he later stages being played in August, September and October 2020. In the Pro14, Ulster finished second in Conference A, making the playoffs and qualifying for next season's Champions Cup. They beat Edinburgh in the semi-final, but lost to Leinster in the final. They finished second in Pool 3 in the Champions Cup, qualifying for the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Toulouse.

The 2018–19 season was Ulster's 25th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Dan McFarland's first season as head coach. Rory Best was captain. They competed in the Pro14, making the semi-finals, and the European Rugby Champions Cup, making the quarter-finals.

References

  1. ↑ "Ulster Rugby | Senior Team". Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eric O'SULLIVAN - Player statistics - It's rugby". www.itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 "O'Sullivan rising through the ranks". Ulster Rugby. 14 November 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  4. ↑ "Abbey Insurance Academy Profile: Eric O'Sullivan". Ulster Rugby. 15 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  5. ↑ Jonathan Bradley, "How Eric O'Sullivan went from Leinster rejection to his first Ireland cap as Ulster loosehead's rugby rise continue", Belfast Telegraph, 5 December 2020
  6. ↑ "Eric O'Sullivan savouring his remarkable rise through Ulster's ranks". Belfast Telegraph . 11 January 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "Eric O'Sullivan: Ulster academy prop enjoying breakout season". BBC Sport . 12 December 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "Toyota Cheetahs 39 Ulster 39". Ulster Rugby. 21 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  9. ↑ Ulster Men: Who did what 2018-19, The From Row Union, 18 July 2019
  10. ↑ Darren Fullerton, "2019 Ulster Rugby Awards: Retiring captain Rory Best is named Heineken Personality of the Year", Belfast Live, 9 May 2019
  11. ↑ "Academy trio commit futures to Ulster". Ulster Rugby. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  12. ↑ Ulster 2020-21 - Who Did What?, The Front Row Union, 12 August 2021
  13. ↑ Don’t Cry In Front Of The Mexicans: Ulster’s 2020-21 Season (And How They Must Keep Twirling, Twirling, Twirling Towards Freedom in 2021-22), Digging Like a Demented Mole, 28 June 2021
  14. ↑ Ciaran Donaghy, "Eric O’Sullivan hungry for more after reaching milestone 50th cap for Ulster", News Letter, 11 November 2020
  15. ↑ "Earls double helps Ireland to end 2020 on a positive note with win over Scotland". the42. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  16. ↑ "The Media Votes are in - Who made the Guinness PRO14 Dream Team?", Pro14, 1 April 2021
  17. ↑ Jonathan Bradley, "I’m excited by potential of Ulster Women’s side, says province’s new coach Murray Houston", Belfast Telegraph, 18 July 2023
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.