Wednesday 29 May 2019 18:13, UK
Ireland back row Sean O'Brien has revealed the upcoming hip surgery that has ruled him out of this year's World Cup could end his professional career.
The 32-year-old, who has 56 caps for his country, is set to undergo a hip resurfacing operation, having struggled with the injury for more than a year.
It is a similar procedure to the one tennis player Andy Murray had earlier this year, with O'Brien's prognosis equally uncertain to that of the three-time Grand Slam champion.
"Very similar, very similar op," O'Brien said of his and Murray's surgeries during an interview with Virgin. "It possibly could [end my career], yeah. It's a shot in the dark really. It's going to be a whole resurface of my hip joint.
"It's probably been a problem now for over a year. I've been trying to manage myself as best I can during the week, with load and everything else.
"We'll see where it takes us but it's one that I'm excited about, if it works and it'll keep my career going for another few years."
O'Brien has been a key figure in an Ireland side that has established itself as a contender for this year's World Cup, which gets underway in Japan in September.
The former British and Irish Lion, who will depart PRO14 champions Leinster for Premiership side London Irish this summer, admits watching his international team-mates compete at the World Cup could provoke mixed emotions.
"It's a tough one to take because if the lads went on and won it, which they're in a great place to do, I'm not sure how I'd feel about it," O'Brien said.
"You'd miss out on something that big. But I'd only be bluffing if I tried to manage this for the next few months to get to a World Cup.
"I'm not training or performing the way I want to - and know I can - at the minute, so that's why I'm going to have this op."
