Conor Gilsenan (born 10 September 1992) is an Irish former

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player. His preferred position was flanker.

Background

Although he played

Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...

as a youngster, Gilsenan ultimately chose

when, as a teenager, either avenue was open to him. Gilesenan cited his biggest influence in his chosen profession as coming from his family and 'role-model', Irish rugby player;

Brian O'Driscoll Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside Centre (rugby union), centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster Rugby, Leinster and for Ireland national rugby union te ...

. However, he was playing Gaelic football for Wandsorth Gaels of London in 2022.

Rugby career

Three successful years in Leinster's academy meant many International caps for Ireland at various youth levels. After a short loan spell at

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

, Gilsenan was signed by

London Irish London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club that most recently competed in the Premiership Rugby, Premiership, the top division of rugby union in England. The club also participated in the European Rugby Champions Cup, European Champion ...

in 2014. At the time Irish were competing in the

RFU Championship The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising twelve clubs. It is the second level of men's English rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when Eng ...

. Highlights in the years that followed included captaining the club in their run to the British & Irish Cup semi-final (2016-2017 season). He also made six starts for The Exiles in their successful promotion campaign (to the

Aviva Premiership Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition, consisting of 10 clubs, and is the top division of the English rugby u ...

). A Regular London Irish player in 2017-18. He was not named in London Irish's squad update in August 2020, it was later confirmed he had been forced to retire for medical reasons.

International career

Gilsenan is a former Ireland U18, U19 and U20 flanker.

''The Apprentice''

In 2022, Gilsenan appeared as one of the candidates in '' The Apprentice'', and was fired in week two.

References

External links

London Irish Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilsenan, Conor Irish rugby union players 1992 births Living people Gaelic footballers who switched code Rugby union players from Mullingar London Irish players The Apprentice (British TV series) candidates Rugby union flankers