Video Shout-Out from Ben O’Donnell

Ben O'Donnell (aka BOD) is a Professional Rugby Union player currently playing for the ACT Brumbies in the Super Rugby Pacific Competition.

Entering his 10th season of Professional Rugby, BOD has had different but exciting rugby journey that has seen him play all over the globe.

Clovelly born and bred, Waverley College graduate, BOD played his juniors with the Randwick Rugby club in Coogee earning many club records including try and points scoring.

PLAYING CAREER:

2014 - Ben moved to the USA to take up a Rugby Scholarship with the D1 A College Lindenwood University. Where he earned honours named in the All-American team for 2014. Ben returned to Australia to play for the Randwick Rugby Club, who won the Colts Competition in Sydney that same season.

2015 - After being apart of the NSW Waratahs u20s side, Ben signed a Professional deal with Spanish Club - Ordizia Rugby, based in San Sebastián, Basque Country. After completing the season there, he returned to Australia to play UTS 7s in the Uni Games, leading them to Victory in Perth. He was then selected to represent the Australian University 7s team that competed in the Rugby Australia National 7s tournament in Adelaide. Ben side went down in the final to the QLD Reds, but Ben was awarded Player of the Tournament (by future coach Andy Friend). This earnt Ben a call up to trial with the Australian Men’s Sevens team. 

2016 - 2017 - Saw Ben earn a full contract with the Australian Men’s Sevens team. He spent the season travelling with the side and playing in invitational tournaments around the globe (Dubai, Las Vegas, Borneo, NZ, Fiji, Japan, Germany, USA).

2017 - Ben had the opportunity to Captain the Australian Men’s Development 7s side to victory in Japan at a tournament in Hokkaido. He was then given the chance to play along side Wallaby greats in Hong Kong representing then Classic Wallabies. The beginning of the 2017 saw Ben earn his debut for the Australian Men’s Sevens side in Dubai (scoring 2 tries in his first match vs Wales). 

2018 - 2019 - Ben became a main stay in the national team, earning 99 caps for the Sevens side. Ben participated in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast and the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Fransisco. He amounted 4 DHL Player of the Tournament awards (Sydney, Dubai, Las Vegas, Singapore) and was award the Shawn MacKay Men’s Player of the Year award in 2018 at the John Eagles Awards. Ben was also named in the World Rugby 7s Dream Team for 2017 - 2018. Ben was also nominated for Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the 2017 - 2018 season. 

2019 - Ben helped the Australian Men’s 7s side qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Fiji, before an injury lead to him missing the Olympics. During this time Ben signed a deal with Irish Club - Connacht in Galway.

2020 - 2022 - Ben played 2 seasons with Connacht in Ireland before Stephen Larkham made the call to Ben about returning to Australia.

2024 - Ben took up an off-season opportunity to play for the Hawkes Bay Magpies in the premier New Zealand Provincial Competition, The Bunnings NPC. His impressive season earnt him the Best Back Award for the 2024 Season that saw the Magpies finish 5th.

2022 - Present - Ben signed with the ACT Brumbies in Canberra and has signed on to continue playing with the Brumbies until the end of 2025, when the British Irish Lions Tour Australia. 

STUDY:

• Completed a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Management at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
• Completed a Certificate III and IV in Fitness at TAFE NSW.