Brian O'Driscoll Test Cap Record

[munstermuffin]

France are still a very imperfect and precarious side, so things aren't as easy as they once were, as some French player said a few days ago "there are no easy matches in the 6N anymore". France could easily lose the one in Wales, there are absolutely no guarantees right now because we're a side that still doesn't exactly know who we are, we're opportunistic, on a given day we'll happen to have a good one. Ireland are a lot more focused, know their strengths by heart, have clearly defined weapons...but they've got Twickenham.
Our Cardiff is Ireland's Twickenham and they happen on the same weekend. Relatively easier weekend the following one as France goes to Murrayfield and Ireland hosts Italy, and finally the last weekend, the weekend we meet.

So basically the Feb 22nd/23rd weekend will decide whether France Ireland will be this year's 6N "final".

Thing is I can't see Ireland loosing by a lot and can see us winning at least 4 games. It may be a case of going to France with such a superior score difference and 4 wins that will win championship. Really can't see a Grand Slam being on cards for anyone

 

[Big Ewis]

Thing is I can't see Ireland loosing by a lot and can see us winning at least 4 games. It may be a case of going to France with such a superior score difference and 4 wins that will win championship. Really can't see a Grand Slam being on cards for anyone

Ireland and France are the remaining hopes for one, all 4 other nations have lost at least a game. I can see France getting it I mean, they haven't really "played well" yet and are 2/2. If they get Cardiff, then Murrayfield should go their way and then they have the big GS decider at home and can go all out then.
For Ireland it's a bit tougher because although they're the most on-form team of the 6N at the moment, they do have 2 tough away games left, and in London and Paris......surely they've got Italy at home in the bag, but all 3 those remaining ones ?...and France's last game (for a hypothetical GS decider) is at home, Ireland's would be on the road...

If Ireland get the GS this year, it would be huge, huge, huge because the calendar isn't all that nice to them (despite 3 home games).

 

[munstermuffin]

Ireland and France are the remaining hopes for one, all 4 other nations have lost at least a game. I can see France getting it I mean, they haven't really "played well" yet and are 2/2. If they get Cardiff, then Murrayfield should go their way and then they have the big GS decider at home and can go all out then.
For Ireland it's a bit tougher because although they're the most on-form team of the 6N at the moment, they do have 2 tough away games left, and in London and Paris......surely they've got Italy at home in the bag, but all 3 those remaining ones ?...and France's last game (for the GS decider) is at home, Ireland's on the road...

If Ireland get the GS this year, it would be huge, huge, huge because the calendar isn't all that nice to them (despite 3 home games).

I'd agree with that 100%. But I think Wales could have major backlash. I think if French are 4/4 when we get there then the tails will be up and it'll be a high peak for Ireland.

 

[The Jones Boy]

O'Driscoll deserves every cap he has collected, including the Lions caps.
However, in rugby terms, a the highest level, he is passed it. He has lost his pace.
He is turning into a liability and he is holding back a chance for young FAST Irish talent to come to the fore.
Gatland showed it when he changed him out and used a midfield with pace and power against the Aussies.
That was nigh on a year ago.
You can't play forever.
The grizzled old veteran has been a wonderful player but it is passéd time when he should stand aside and let younger talent come through.

 

[TRF_heineken]

O'Driscoll deserves every cap he has collected, including the Lions caps.
However, in rugby terms, a the highest level, he is passed it. He has lost his pace.
He is turning into a liability and he is holding back a chance for young FAST Irish talent to come to the fore.
Gatland showed it when he changed him out and used a midfield with pace and power against the Aussies.
That was nigh on a year ago.
You can't play forever.
The grizzled old veteran has been a wonderful player but it is passéd time when he should stand aside and let younger talent come through.

I'm not so sure about this. While he is a legend of the game, I'm sure that if there were better players in Ireland, they would have been picked, or at least been rotated with O'Driscoll. It's true, you can't play forever, but while he's still willing and able, why not play him?? If Victor Matfield can make a comeback at the tender age of 36, then nothing is stopping BOD from continuing to play for Ireland. If he's good enough, let him play. If others are better, then drop him...

He shouldn't stop playing because he's "holding back a chance for FAST Irish talent to come to the fore". that's not his fault, that is a management thing. Also, playing centre isn't just about being fast. If anything, it has become more about skill, defence and keeping a calm head... Which BOD has ample...

 

[Bada-Bing!]

So Richie McCaw is on 124 caps for the All Blacks and if he plays all the All Blacks games between now and and the 2015 WC (assuming 14 games per year), he could surpass 150 caps. That's insane for a loose forward.

 

[TRF_heineken]

So Richie McCaw is on 124 caps for the All Blacks and if he plays all the All Blacks games between now and and the 2015 WC (assuming 14 games per year), he could surpass 150 caps. That's insane for a loose forward.

Yeah, and his sabbaticals are the reason why. Every year he misses a big chunk of the Super Rugby season due to his central contract with the NZRU. Man I wish the Boks could implement this too...

 

[Big Ewis]

I'd agree with that 100%. But I think Wales could have major backlash. I think if French are 4/4 when we get there then the tails will be up and it'll be a high peak for Ireland.

yeah but you know...France may very well continue playing super inconsistently (throughout a same match I mean) and who knows where that'll bring us. Ireland are a lot more stable at the moment...it would be quite unexpected if France actually won the GS this year because they just don't have that stability (yet ?).
We're honestly going into the Cardiff match with question marks almost everywhere and almost anything can happen.
So France with their troubles, and Ireland with a tough remaining schedule...

And the funny thing is, Wales still aren't out of this at all, and neither are England. If Wales beat France at home, they're still very much alive and England only just lost one away match (so, tolerable) and are +18 on the pts diff.

 

[SimonG]

It's true too! I mean it. You look at guys like McCaw and Carter and think 'sure they got 100-115 caps' but they only had to be better than guys like Daniel Braid, Marty Holah, Chris Masoe, Carlos Spencer, Andrew Mehrtens, Nick Evans and Luke McAlister. Brian O'Driscoll gets 138 with guys like Darren Cave, Kieran Lewis and Ian Whitten breathing down his neck- not to mention every outside back which plays a token role at centre!

Mehrtens is the only quality Rugby player in that list (and he was finished before Daniel "the bottler" Carter appeared on the scene.

Rugby is a niche sport in Ireland, dwarfed by football and gaelic football and hurling, so it's true that there ain't a big playing pool of players. NZ is the only nation of the 6 or 7 countries that play Rugby where it is the national sport, so it stands to reason there will be more Nz folk playing it.

Although O'Driscoll's about four years past his best hes still a class act. O'Driscoll has done something that no Irish Rugby player has done and that's become a household name in Ireland...that to me is a bigger achievement than him being the best centre in Rugby for a decade.

I would be all for losing to Ireland in Paris with a BOD hat-trick if it ends up like that.
Freaking legend.

His hat-trick in Paris was the moment that catapulted him to fame in Ireland. I remember going into that game fearing the French as they had massacred NZ only a couple of months beforehand in the WC semi, completely ran riot and outclassed the toothless NZ midfield. Hadn't heard of O'Driscoll prior to the game (think he was 20 at the time) so to see him break through their midfield at will was incredible. I would put his performance in Paris right up there with his Lions debut against all-conquering Aussies in 2001 where he tore through the defence of the best Rugby team of the pro era time and time again. Between that game in Paris in 2000 to his six nations player of the tournament in Ireland's Grand slam winning team in 2009, he was on a different level to any centre in the game. The vision has never left him, but his legs have gone. Still pleased he's playing as he's a class act.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Mehrtens is the only quality Rugby player in that list (and he was finished before Daniel "the bottler" Carter appeared on the scene.

Rugby is a niche sport in Ireland, dwarfed by football and gaelic football and hurling, so it's true that there ain't a big playing pool of players. NZ is the only nation of the 6 or 7 countries that play Rugby where it is the national sport, so it stands to reason there will be more Nz folk playing it.

Although O'Driscoll's about four years past his best hes still a class act. O'Driscoll has done something that no Irish Rugby player has done and that's become a household name in Ireland...that to me is a bigger achievement than him being the best centre in Rugby for a decade.

Nick Evans not a quality player.

 

[SimonG]

Who? Had to google him. Was he the fella who wanted to play football but wasn't good enough? Manchester United fan I believe (or is that Mcallister?). Anyhow, never heard of him.

Any player that is a household name in a niche sport is so because they are exceptional.

 

[Feicarsinn]

 

[nickdnz]

Mehrtens is the only quality Rugby player in that list (and he was finished before Daniel "the bottler" Carter appeared on the scene.

Rugby is a niche sport in Ireland, dwarfed by football and gaelic football and hurling, so it's true that there ain't a big playing pool of players. NZ is the only nation of the 6 or 7 countries that play Rugby where it is the national sport, so it stands to reason there will be more Nz folk playing it.

Although O'Driscoll's about four years past his best hes still a class act. O'Driscoll has done something that no Irish Rugby player has done and that's become a household name in Ireland...that to me is a bigger achievement than him being the best centre in Rugby for a decade.

His hat-trick in Paris was the moment that catapulted him to fame in Ireland. I remember going into that game fearing the French as they had massacred NZ only a couple of months beforehand in the WC semi, completely ran riot and outclassed the toothless NZ midfield. Hadn't heard of O'Driscoll prior to the game (think he was 20 at the time) so to see him break through their midfield at will was incredible. I would put his performance in Paris right up there with his Lions debut against all-conquering Aussies in 2001 where he tore through the defence of the best Rugby team of the pro era time and time again. Between that game in Paris in 2000 to his six nations player of the tournament in Ireland's Grand slam winning team in 2009, he was on a different level to any centre in the game. The vision has never left him, but his legs have gone. Still pleased he's playing as he's a class act.

Who? Had to google him. Was he the fella who wanted to play football but wasn't good enough? Manchester United fan I believe (or is that Mcallister?). Anyhow, never heard of him.

Any player that is a household name in a niche sport is so because they are exceptional.

It's also the national sport of Wales and certainly could make argument for South Africa amoung a fair section of the population. Playing numbers in NZ are significantly smaller than in many countries as we have a population of 4 million...

Nick Evans is still arguably one of the best fly halves in the world...Luke McAlister was part of a Man U academy - but moved back to New Zealand at a young age, don't really know what there is to mock him about..

"The best centre of the decade" is certainly subjective...I personally would have taken Mortlock, Umaga, Greenwood or Conrad Smith over him. Keith Wood wasn't a household name in Ireland?

 

[smartcooky]

.....Keith Wood wasn't a household name in Ireland?

or Fergus Slattery?

or Mike Gibson?

or Willie John McBride?

or Tom Grace?

PS: O'Driscoll is a great centre, so is Conrad Smith and so were Jeremy Guscott, Bruce Robertson, Tana Umaga and Stirling Mortlock in their times, but IMO, none of them are the greatest. For mine, that honour goes to Mike Gibson. He was simply outstanding, and the best centre I have ever seen play the game, bar none.

 

[Maverick1987]

Who? Had to google him. Was he the fella who wanted to play football but wasn't good enough? Manchester United fan I believe (or is that Mcallister?). Anyhow, never heard of him.

Any player that is a household name in a niche sport is so because they are exceptional.

If you has to google who Nick Evans and Luke Mcallister are then you need to get your head from up your arse

 

[SimonG]

Legend

Greatest player of the 2000s decade
Greatest centre of the pro era

Genius (and I use that word for a tiny tiny number of players). Probably the only Rugby player of the modern era whose skill is comparable to that of top footballers (not Ronaldinho, Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane level...but the next rung). The manner in which he cut open a defence in his prime was sublime. Been a pleasure to watch a player who has singlehandedly transformed Irish Rugby...a niche sport to one that is now in the public consciousness.

Thanks Bod.

 

[Draggs]

Legend

Greatest player of the 2000s decade
Greatest centre of the pro era

Genius (and I use that word for a tiny tiny number of players). Probably the only Rugby player of the modern era whose skill is comparable to that of top footballers (not Ronaldinho, Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane level...but the next rung). The manner in which he cut open a defence in his prime was sublime. Been a pleasure to watch a player who has singlehandedly transformed Irish Rugby...a niche sport to one that is now in the public consciousness.

Thanks Bod.

Topkek.

 

[Tony Manx]

PS: O'Driscoll is a great centre, so is Conrad Smith and so were Jeremy Guscott, Bruce Robertson, Tana Umaga and Stirling Mortlock in their times, but IMO, none of them are the greatest. For mine, that honour goes to Mike Gibson. He was simply outstanding, and the best centre I have ever seen play the game, bar none.

100% but he was not in the era of easy tears and over the top adulation!!!

BOD was a great great player and so desereved this emotional send off but...................come on!!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

McCaw's on 124 caps for the ABs; if he stays fit he could break BOD's record by the end of the WC. Maybe even get to 150 caps.

 

[The Jones Boy]

There will be props and negatives from all sides regarding BoD's achievement, but I would ask folks to examine one element above all else... the remarkable longevity.
Regardless of the blokes talent etc, what an awesome effort to stay at peak fitness and to remain intact for that many test matches.
Hats off to the bloke, he's a warrior for his country and deserves the plaudits.
On top of that he has been a fantastic servant to rugby union in Ireland and around the world.