Connacht’s Conor Oliver hungry for the green of Ireland – ‘I’m not there yet, but I definitely believe in myself

From Skerries down the coast to Blackrock. The motorway to Limerick. Then north to Galway.

Hardly the road less travelled for normal folk. But enough twists and turns to leave the sportsperson wondering whether one day they missed a signpost somewhere along the way.

He started as a kid in Skerries before heading to gilded Blackrock College.

The Leinster Academy called, but their back-row backlog was jammed; from there to Munster and a fledgling, flowering – we recall a stirring night against the Maori in 2018, amongst others – until their stocks became overloaded too.

They did persuade him to stay, but he wanted to play. Instead of the road to somewhere else, he contemplated a plane to Leicester. He trialled there, then returned to Munster mid-season. It seemed he was wandering, wavering.

Today's Sport News in 90 Seconds - 8th May

Then a call from a Friend, Andy Friend. Since then, he hasn’t needed to point the car anywhere else.

He’s 28 now and didn’t need his signature on a piece of Connacht Rugby headed notepaper to realise he had finally found his way. In truth, he’s known it for some time now.

Not, perhaps, immediately, given that he arrived in Galway during a pandemic, when starting a new life was difficult enough, never mind starting to meet new friends and fellow professionals.

But now it all fits neatly into place. Oliver never thought that he would end up here, but now it wouldn’t be a surprise if one day, long into the future, it might end here, too. Maybe that’s what it feels like to find a home.

“I have definitely grown as a person,” the flint-edged flanker said.

“I came here four years ago and was probably in a little bit of limbo when I left Munster. I wasn’t really sure of where I was going or what I was going to do in rugby.

“But then I came here and found my feet again. I found the love of the game again, to be honest. And each year, as I get older, I have learned to lead by example as well in terms of my own game.”

Pete Wilkins was Friend’s assistant in 2020 and is well-placed to chart Oliver’s personal and professional progress.

“Conor joined us with a huge point to prove, I felt, with the motivation to show just what a quality player he is,” noted Wilkins. “He demonstrated that previously with Munster and then maybe didn’t get the opportunities he wanted. And then he came to us with a real fire in his belly, in terms of how his career was progressing. And we were lucky to harness that and be the beneficiaries.”

And he still has more to prove.

“For me, my ambition and goal has always been international caps. I’ve said it before. For me, the process may have changed over the years. I’ve had to go different routes to try and get there,” Oliver acknowledged.

“I’m not there yet, but I definitely believe in myself. That’s the next step for me.”

The most immediate one is a return to Munster this weekend.

“It’s always put in my calendar, a lot of people know that by now. It’s a fun one for me, obviously,” he added.

“I still know a lot of lads at Munster. I’m very fond of my time there, so going back there to play is a really special game for me.”