Memories, Chicago & the NFL - O'Brien ready for Ireland chance

"I haven't been in American for a couple of years and you forget the scale of everything. Everything is just a bit bigger over here."

Tommy O'Brien was describing his experience in Chicago to date, where Ireland are based in the downtown area of the city laden with skyscrapers and on the edge of Lake Michigan.

But he could have just as easily been talking about a tantalising rematch with New Zealand at Soldier Field on 1 November.

At the home of the Chicago Bears NFL team, Ireland beat New Zealand for the first time in 2016 and the sides will meet again nine years on.

It is a moment that is etched into Irish sporting history.

"Everyone has very fond memories of 2016 and there are a few guys now who were involved," the Leinster wing said.

"I was just out of school but I remember watching it and being delighted by it. To have a chance of being involved in something like that would be incredible."

O'Brien made made his Leinster debut in 2019 and is a former Ireland Under-20 captain.

But he had to wait until July, aged 27, to make his senior Ireland bow after injuries and missed opportunities left him wondering "is this going to work out?".

While 18 Ireland internationals were away on British and Irish Lions duty in Australia, O'Brien was handed his chance after a strong season with Leinster.

It was one he grabbed with both hands, as he followed up two tries on his debut in Georgia with another double against Portugal.

O'Brien says he already feels a "lot more comfortable" for the upcoming November matches than he did in the summer, and says having to wait for his opportunity has had its benefits.

"You probably do become a bit more mature and as a result you have a bit more of an understanding of everything.

"Obviously it is something you have been working your whole life towards and it is the pinnacle playing in these kinds of games."

O'Brien is a self-confessed "NFL nerd" and supports the Las Vegas Raiders, "for my sins".

Although he won't get to experience any NFL games while in Chicago, O'Brien says he watches American football clips, a lot of which are sent to him by his dad, to see what he can "pick up".

"He sent me Saquon Barkley's reverse hurdle a couple of times last year, but I don't know how that could be implemented or how it would go down," O'Brien joked.

"I think it's an easy penalty and I'm probably landing on my head. But some of the stuff they can do is incredible.

"I love watching that stuff and seeing what little bits and pieces you can pick up."

After a scintillating debut in green, O'Brien may get his shot under Andy Farrell for November's fixtures after an injury to first-choice right wing Mack Hansen.

If selected, O'Brien would relish going up against the All Blacks, who narrowly missed out on the Rugby Championship title to South Africa.

"Once you get to this level you have to be aware that everyone is going to be very good," he said,

"I have to focus on what I do best and hopefully that will do the job."

Ireland have defeated New Zealand on four more occasions since that famous win in 2016 and O'Brien says "we don't put anyone on a pedestal", especially after that breakthrough win.

"That New Zealand team would have come off the back of the 2015 and 2011 World Cups, so they were an incredibly successful team," he added.

"That was breaking the barrier by beating the All Blacks for the first time and we've managed to do it a couple of times since.

"We respect them and know how good a team they are but we're looking forward to the challenge of facing them."