Finley O’Sullivan: From Blackheath Under-6s to a crack at Champ Rugby
Once a mascot and mini + junior at the club, Blackheath lock Finley O’Sullivan is aiming to turn his dream into a reality this weekend. (Photo Credit: Nick King)
Once a mascot and mini + junior at the club, Blackheath lock Fin O’Sullivan now stands one game away from helping his boyhood side reach Champ Rugby.
The 23-year-old will line up against London Scottish in Saturday’s Champ Rugby Accession Final at the Richmond Athletic Ground (2pm), with a place in the second tier on the line.
Blackheath arrive full of confidence after a superb National One campaign which saw them finish second and collect 107 points, while Scottish won just six times in the Champ and finished second from bottom.
For O’Sullivan, however, Saturday means far more than league positions or form.
“If we were to win on Saturday, it would just be a dream come true having grown up playing for the club since I was a mini and junior,” he tells National League Rugby.
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“At such a young age, I dreamt of playing for the first team, and I don’t think games get any bigger than this, do they? Playing for promotion with so much on the line.
“I have just got to cherish it, to be honest, because I am very lucky to have a part to play in it. It is awesome.”
Blackheath head into the fixture on an 11-match winning streak, with momentum growing week by week during the run-in.
O’Sullivan believes the challenges his side have already overcome this season have prepared them for one final test.
“We are coming off the back of 11 straight wins, and we had a tough run-in at the back end of the season.
“It is real credit to us if we win [on Saturday] because it would tie the club record of most number of wins (12).
“We played Plymouth (away), then Rotherham – who obviously finished first – and then Sale FC. Then we played Plymouth at home again in that last play-off game [the National 1 Promotion Play-Off].
“The pressure has been awesome every week because it has just been growing and growing and growing. It is just so exciting to have these games to play for.”
For O’Sullivan, Blackheath has never been just a rugby club.
His father Rory – the club’s current president – first brought him down to Blackheath as a child, beginning a relationship that has now lasted almost two decades.
“I think I joined the club at the end of the Under-6s because there were too many people there and I was a late sign-up! Now I am 23 and have been at the club ever since, so for my entire rugby career.”
The connection between the O’Sullivan family and Blackheath runs deep.
Rory made his debut for the club in 1985 and remained involved as a player until 2000, while Fin has since followed the same path through the youth system and into the senior side.
“He [Rory] is the current club president and played until 2000 mainly for the second team and below, which I am sure he won’t mind me saying!” O’Sullivan junior adds.
“He then played with me for our social team – the Blackheath Bandits – when lockdown restrictions were eventually lifted briefly in December 2020.
“He gave me my first-ever pair of boots, and I never really questioned it. It is all I have ever known and all I will ever know.”
O’Sullivan says the support of his parents has played a huge role throughout his rugby journey.
“My Dad has had a huge influence on my rugby career and kept me here at the club alongside my Mum, of course.
“He is one of the main reasons I am still playing and giving it my all. It helps having that connection with my Dad and the club. My parents keep me going. Win or lose, they are always there.
“They will always be on the pitch at the end of the game to give me a hug and share a beer with me in the changing rooms afterwards.”
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Away from rugby, O’Sullivan works as a bonds broker for London firm BGC Partners, balancing long hours in finance with life as a National One player.
The second row travels across London from East to West for training and matches, but believes rugby has helped him deal with the demands of his career.
“It can be pretty full-on at any given time,” he continues. “I guess it can sometimes help with playing rugby, especially with the high pressure.
“It is long hours and you are constantly under high scrutiny, but I have only been doing it for a year and a half now after leaving university.
“Rugby has helped me with work rather than the other way round. Rugby is a major stress reliever and an emotional release.
“I actually got into my job through Blackheath. My sponsor at Blackheath works at a different desk in my office, but he managed to get me a conversation at the rugby club! That led to a couple of interviews, and now here I am at BGC.”
O’Sullivan’s weekdays are spent navigating pressure in the City.
This weekend, though, the stakes feel even bigger because promotion to Champ Rugby would not simply be another career milestone, but the fulfilment of a dream that began when his father first brought him through the gates of Blackheath.
Watch London Scottish vs Blackheath LIVE on ClubberTV: https://www.clubbertv.co.uk/
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