{"id":365764,"date":"2026-03-26T06:53:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T06:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/365764\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T06:53:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T06:53:17","slug":"ireland-star-reveals-paul-oconnell-wont-give-go-ahead-on-position-switch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/365764\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland Star Reveals Paul O\u2019Connell Won’t Give Go Ahead On Position Switch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stuart McCloskey may have just enjoyed his most consistent Six Nations campaign in green, but the Ulster man is already thinking about how he can stay in the Ireland picture, even if it means reinventing himself.<\/p>\n

The 32-year-old has suggested he would be open to becoming a hybrid player, capable of featuring both in the backs and the forwards, in a bid to strengthen his case for long-term inclusion in Andy Farrell\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n

However, there\u2019s one key figure he may need to convince first, Ireland forwards coach Paul O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n

The idea comes off the back of South Africa\u2019s use of Andr\u00e9 Esterhuizen, who has successfully transitioned into a hybrid role for the Springboks, covering both midfield and flank.<\/p>\n

McCloskey, who shares a similar physical profile to Esterhuizen, admitted the idea has crossed his mind, even if it hasn\u2019t yet gained much traction within the Irish camp.<\/p>\n

\nIreland Star Reveals Paul O\u2019Connell Won’t Give Go Ahead On Position Switch\n<\/p>\n

Speaking on the Verdict Podcast, McCloskey said:<\/p>\n

I keep joking to Paul O\u2019Connell that I should do it, and he laughs me off. He doesn\u2019t really give me much time.<\/p>\n

So, I don\u2019t think I\u2019m on his radar, but listen, I\u2019d never say no. I don\u2019t know what role that\u2019ll be.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m 117 kilos, surely I could get the maul all going at that point.<\/p>\n

The prospect of Stuart McCloskey adding versatility to his game is an intriguing one.<\/p>\n

\n Recommended\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

While he started all five of Ireland\u2019s Six Nations games this year, aided by the absence of Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw early in the campaign, he knows how quickly the pecking order can shift when everyone is fit.<\/p>\n

With Aki and Henshaw now back in the fold, and players like Ciar\u00e1n Frawley and Jamie Osborne also pushing for places, competition in the Irish midfield remains fierce.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where a hybrid role could prove valuable.<\/p>\n

The ability to cover multiple positions has become increasingly important at international level, particularly with the rise of flexible bench splits. Esterhuizen\u2019s success has shown how a player can increase their value by offering options across the team.<\/p>\n

But Stuart McCloskey admits there may be a reason why Paul O\u2019Connell hasn\u2019t fully bought into the idea just yet.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s great, he\u2019s probably not quite as intense as he was as a player, thankfully.<\/p>\n

He does breakdown and forwards, neither of which I try to take too much part in.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tongue-in-cheek admission, but one that highlights the challenge of making such a transition.<\/p>\n

For now, McCloskey\u2019s performances in the Six Nations, where he earned a nomination for Player of the Championship, have strengthened his case as a centre.<\/p>\n

If he were to add another dimension to his game he would surely make himself a invaluable weapon in Andy Farrell’s eyes.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: Mack Hansen Had Interesting Explanation For Aussie Legend On His ‘Irish’ Accent<\/a>
\nSEE ALSO: Tipperary Rugby Star Is Hottest Prospect In US College Football Despite Never Playing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stuart McCloskey may have just enjoyed his most consistent Six Nations campaign in green, but the Ulster man…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":365765,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[61,60,112],"class_list":["post-365764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=365764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365764\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/365765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=365764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=365764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=365764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}