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Brendon O’Connor Named MLR Forward of the Year

FORWARD OF THE YEAR: Brendon o’connor, RUGBY new york

Playing in 17 games for Rugby New York this season as the Eastern Conference lifted their first Major league Rugby title was Brendon O’Connor.

His first season in blue and orange, the former Leicester Tigers, Crusaders and Blues flanker was a dominant force in the New York pack, a near constant as the side rumbled towards a Championship Final victory.

Not only an ever-present presence in Marty Veale’s forward pack, the 32-year-old made a mightily impressive 222 tackles across the course of the season and also turning the ball over on six occasions.

It is thanks to his consistency in club colors and remarkable work rate that the New Zealander was not only named in the All-MLR First XV, but also to be voted as the Forward of the Year.

O’Connor’s accolade was extremely well deserving, but not something that a former New Zealand U20 international without social media was aware of until teammates and friends and family shared the news with him.

“I was pretty surprised to be honest,” he said. “I never really thought too much about that or being in the All-MLR First XV. I never knew about it. It is always nice to get mentioned in things like that and to know that people think you played well.”

Arriving in New York after a spell back with the Crusaders in Super Rugby and Bunnings NPC side, Hawke’s Bay, the 32-year-old came into an MLR side stacked with potential.

Having retained Andy Ellis from the year before, as well as the likes of Sam Windsor, Jason Emery and Ed Fidow from further afield.

Adding further experience in the form of Rugby World Cup winning All Blacks Waisake Naholo and Nehe Milner-Skudder midway through the season, it was a side that had the potential to make history as the first east coast side to lift the Shield.

“We just had a great squad that got put together,” O’Connor said. “There were some great players in there, but also just good people, a lot of selfless people that would put the team first and some great players who we maximized with the way we played.

“It wasn’t pretty at times, we had some tough losses in the season, but managed to get it together at the right time and finish it strong.

“It has been really enjoyable. It is the first time in the States for me, in New York City, and I have loved every minute of it.

“It is a great group of boys here and we have got a great culture. Hopefully we can keep some of the boys together here next year.

“I have just really enjoyed playing with the boys, and we play a good style of rugby and to win it all at the end was pretty special.”

To reach the MLR Championship Final alone, O’Connor and his teammates had to run something of a gauntlet.

It was by no means an easy road, finishing third in their Conference and having to go away to Rugby ATL in the Eastern Eliminator, the same place they had come unstuck the year before.

Nearly a year has passed since New York ventured to Atlanta to play in a narrow 10-9 loss to the hands of ATL, who a week later found themselves on the receiving end of a 31-17 defeat to the LA Giltinis in the final.

Progressing to the Eastern Conference Final against the competitions number one seed, the New England Free Jacks, it was perhaps New York’s biggest challenge to date.

Having played each other three times in the regular season, New England had picked up two convincing victories, while New York’s sole win came in Week 18 against a heavily rotated Free Jacks side.

Traveling to Massachusetts in late-June, New York stunned their hosts to win 24-16, O’Connor making 21 tackles on the way to that win. 

Topping the tackles list a week later at Red Bull Arena, O’Connor ended his season with a piece of silverware. 

It is an achievement not lost on the 32-year-old, who despite having been with the team for only a few months, hopes this could be the start of more to come in New York.

“It is massive for the club,” O’Connor said. “There are a few boys like Dylan Fawsitt who has been there since day one and you had to be there at that moment to see how much it means to them.

“It just puts things into perspective a bit and reminds you just to enjoy it. For us, and we talked about it at the start of the season, leaving our legacy and starting a dynasty.

“It is an unreal feeling, knowing all of the work that you have put into it to get across the line at the end was awesome.”

Earlier this week Major League Rugby released the All-MLR team selections and the overall Player of the Year. Stay tuned for additional end of season awards to be released by MLR across the week.

Written by Joe Harvey | Photos by Getty Images