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| Conor O'Shea | |
|---|---|
| Name | Conor O'Shea |
| Birth date | 28 April 1970 |
| Birth place | Cork, County Cork |
| Height | 1.93 m |
| Weight | 104 kg |
| School | St Michael's College, Dublin |
| University | University College Dublin |
| Position | Centre |
| Clubs | London Irish, Harlequin F.C., Wasps RFC |
| National team | Ireland |
| National years | 1993–1998 |
Conor O'Shea is an Irish former rugby union centre, coach and sports executive who represented Ireland and later coached clubs and international sides before moving into administrative roles. He played professional rugby with Leinster Rugby, Wasps RFC, Harlequins and London Irish and earned caps for Ireland in the 1990s. After retirement he held coaching positions with Harlequin F.C., Wasps RFC, Benetton Rugby, and managed the Italy before serving as director of rugby and executive in English and Irish sporting institutions.
Born in Cork, County Cork, O'Shea was raised in Dublin where he attended St Michael's College, Dublin. He progressed through schoolboy pathways into University College Dublin and played for the university side while studying in a city shared with clubs like Blackrock College RFC and Old Belvedere RFC. During his youth he featured for provincial junior structures associated with Leinster Rugby and competed in competitions such as the All-Ireland League and underage fixtures linked to Irish Rugby Football Union development squads.
O'Shea's senior playing career included spells with Leinster Rugby and professional seasons in England with Wasps RFC, Harlequin F.C. and London Irish. He operated primarily at centre alongside contemporaries tied to clubs like Bath Rugby, Sale Sharks, Newcastle Falcons, and often faced internationals from Wales national rugby union team, Scotland national rugby union team, and England national rugby union team. Internationally he won caps for Ireland during the era which included the Five Nations Championship and early Heineken Cup competitions. Later in his playing days he encountered players from Leicester Tigers, Munster Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Gloucester Rugby, and Ulster Rugby before transitioning into coaching.
O'Shea began coaching with development roles at Harlequin F.C. and then joined Wasps RFC as a defence coach under structures that included directors like Lawrence Dallaglio-era leadership and figures such as Dean Ryan and Ian McGeechan in the English club scene. He later took head coaching responsibility at Harlequin F.C. and was linked with club campaigns in tournaments like the Premiership Rugby and European Rugby Champions Cup. He moved to Italy to take charge of Benetton Rugby in Treviso, working within the context of the Pro14 (later United Rugby Championship) and facing provincial rivals like Zebre Rugby Club and international club sides including RC Toulon, Stade Toulousain, Munster Rugby and Leinster Rugby.
Elevated to international management, O'Shea served as head coach and technical director for the Italy, succeeding figures in the Six Nations Championship coaching carousel and preparing squads to play against France national rugby union team, England national rugby union team, Scotland national rugby union team, Wales national rugby union team, and Ireland. His tenure involved working with players who featured in domestic organizations such as Zebre Rugby Club and Benetton Rugby and interfaced with governing bodies like the Federazione Italiana Rugby. Prior to and after Italy he contributed to national age-grade structures, collaborating with coaches linked to England national rugby union team setups, Ireland national under-20 rugby union team, and international development pathways used by unions like Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union.
Following coaching, O'Shea transitioned to executive positions including director of rugby and performance roles with clubs and unions. He held leadership roles that engaged with institutions such as The Football Association, Rugby Football Union, Irish Rugby Football Union, and commercial partners common in top-tier rugby like Heineken and Guinness. He also worked within arenas overlapping with professional franchises tied to Aviva Stadium, Twickenham Stadium, Stadio Olimpico (Rome), and liaised with high-performance networks including sports science groups from Loughborough University, Trinity College Dublin, and organizations such as World Rugby. His executive work connected to talent pathways involving academies at Leicester Tigers Academy, Munster Academy, and youth systems influenced by the Six Nations Championship calendar.
Off the field O'Shea has been associated with figures from Irish and international sport communities including administrators from Irish Rugby Football Union, coaches from England national rugby union team, and executives from clubs like Harlequin F.C. and Wasps RFC. He has been recognized within contexts such as club achievements in the Premiership Rugby and participation in European Rugby Champions Cup campaigns. His personal connections span across sporting institutions like University College Dublin, St Michael's College, Dublin, and regional teams including Leinster Rugby and Munster Rugby.
Category:1970 births Category:Irish rugby union coaches Category:Irish rugby union players Category:People from Cork (city)