O'Driscoll to miss the rest of the season

[Feicarsinn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/15626082.stm

Bugger

Time to step up Eoin O'Malley I guess.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not great at all - time for someone to step up, for Leinster and Ireland
While it's not an ideal situation, though, it will work out well in the long run for Leinster/Ireland as someone will get an extended run at 13, which they probably wouldn't get if BOD was fully fit all year round


Though Kidney will probably just player Keith Earls for the 6N

 

[nickdnz]

Haha, I love -

O'Driscoll has been unlucky with injury, notably missing the majority of the 2005 British Lions tour to New Zealand after he suffered a dislocated shoulder following an illegal spear tackle by Tana Umaga

Not ganna let it go...

If he's out for 6 months, he may yet make it back for the June tests. Ireland's centre options are really looking pretty grim. Gordon D'Arcy is slow and unimaginative while Fergus McFadden and Paddy Wallace don't really envoke fear...

 

[Peat]

If he's out for 6 months, he may yet make it back for the June tests. Ireland's centre options are really looking pretty grim. Gordon D'Arcy is slow and unimaginative while Fergus McFadden and Paddy Wallace don't really envoke fear...

Both Leinster and Ulster have a lot of young centres with a lot of potential - Munster and Connacht less so, but both have some promising players (Hanrahan and Griffin respectively). No gurantee they'll do it, but I am confidently expecting them to be ok.

Not to mention there is always the possibility of one of their wings switching in, like Luke Fitzgerald may.

Personally in my not at all biased opinion, Darren Cave should get the nod for the 6N.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

It's unfortunate but not the end of the world. Luke Fitzgerald and Eoin O'Malley both started at 13 with some success for Leinster in the Heineken Cup last season while Fergus McFadden can also step in comfortably. Maybe not having O'Driscoll in the backline will free the other backs up since virtually everything goes through O'Driscoll attackwise. It's up to the other backs to raise their game and minimise the loss of Ireland's captain. Another byproduct of this should be more game time for Brendan Macken in the Pro 12 which can only be a good thing.

 

[munstermuffin]

While I am disappointed to hear it I think it good in some ways for Leinster and Ireland.
At World Cup we were shown something we all knew - Keith Earls is a top wing and an emergency 13 at best so Kidney must now experiment with proper 13's and leave Earls where he is best at 11. McFadden is more than capable of stepping in at 13 (except for 2/3 teams he'd make a starting 15). And Leinster have plenty of good youngsters and a superb coaching staff so this isn't as bad as it would've been in past as Leinster also have more than enoungh leadership too.

As for BOD he has been the greatest 13 I think in the professional era and well has put his body to the limit more than most. Really hope if these injuries are too frequent and bad that he calls it a day and leaves on a high. Too often lately we have seen a broken man leaving the field and well his welfare must come first.

 

[Teh Mite]

Best thing that could have happened for Ireland - forces them to give some youngsters a crack of the whip.

 

[Groundhog]

Both Leinster and Ulster have a lot of young centres with a lot of potential - Munster and Connacht less so, but both have some promising players (Hanrahan and Griffin respectively). No gurantee they'll do it, but I am confidently expecting them to be ok.

Not to mention there is always the possibility of one of their wings switching in, like Luke Fitzgerald may.

Personally in my not at all biased opinion, Darren Cave should get the nod for the 6N.

cave is ok .Can gilroy play centre? i have no clue but he's impressed me

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

This is obviously a bad thing but comes with a lot of positives:

Negatives:
Could be the end of his career, unlikely to even get near his best again.
Ireland without a mentor to teach another player to be a top class captain.
Could result in the end of D'Arcy's career. (Not necessarily a negative)
Ireland have lost their greatest ever player for six months.

Positives:
Forces Leinster and Ireland to pick young centres.
Forces other Irish players to take up leadership roles.

What I would like Irelands back line to be.

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. McFadden
13. Fitzgerald
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

 

[coonor]

Unfortunate but good in the long term and I hope someone steps up. Lots of young talent in the centres and we need to find the best option for the future and capable of filling O'Driscolls boots. This is most definitely not the end of BOD and hopefully he comes back recharged. I the mean time this opens up Irelands captain spot and I would to see Heaslip given the role. I think he needs a new challenge to ignite his game and form and I would love to see a new leader in the Irish team.

 

[dangandan]

I'm pretty happy about this considering young 13s hardly get a chance when BOD is around. Don't see the point in chucking wingers into the centre where they get exposed defensively and i find lack the passing game required. Pick guys who actually know how to play centre. Cave looks like a tidy player, runs good angles scoring quite a few tries and is a solid defender. Has a good footballing brain too.

 

[big ginger 8]

At Leinster McFadden will probably be the 13. However Kidneys seems convinced that he's only a winger so maybe Bowe 13 with Fitzgerald and Trimble as the wingers.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

At Leinster McFadden will probably be the 13. However Kidneys seems convinced that he's only a winger so maybe Bowe 13 with Fitzgerald and Trimble as the wingers.

Wha.... wha........ WHAT? predicting a Kidney team without Earls, I think that is immediate banning with no appeal from the forum. Am I correct?

 

[big ginger 8]

Well maybe Earls being injured helps.

 

[Peat]

Earls is only out for a month though, correct? He'll be back. I wouldn't be surprised if he does feature in the centre. The way I see it - Kidney should want to dump Mincer and D'Arcy asap. Problem is that means a completely new centre partnership. Ergo, he'll probably play one of the wings there, so at least one of them knows international rugby.

Me, I'd probably go with Fitzgerald at 12 out of all of them - move D'Arcy out for Leinster - but wouldn't be surprised to see either Earls or Fitzgerald at 13, although I think he's given up on Earls at 13.

cave is ok .Can gilroy play centre? i have no clue but he's impressed me

To my knowledge, Gilroy has never played centre. Personally, for me it would be a waste - I've never seen him distribute, but his ability under the high ball would be wasted, and the best place for his ability to go round a man is on the wing. Runs great lines from there too. You could turn him into a full-back with a fair bit of work, but elsewise he's an out and out winger.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Poor BOD