Would you pick BOD in your squad to face South Africa

[dundeesmiffy]

Now, before the BOD fan club attack this thread with 'OF COURZ HE IZ DA BEST CENTUR IN DA WURLD EVUR, 4RLZ!' I'm not saying he shouldn't be in the fold, but would you pick him in the big crunch matches, or do you think he deserves to.

I don't think so, and my reasoning is this;

He's a liability for injury, I don't think I can remember seeing him finish an Ireland game, and I've seen him go off injured more times than I can count since the world cup.
Secondly, It's been said pretty much consistently that the Lions have to have a set game plan going in to the 3 games with South Africa if they even have a chance of winning. I can only speculate that McGeechan will select his team pragmatically, to say the least.
I can therefor guess he won't want to take risks, like players who haven't been at the top of there game and are prone to injury, two attributes Brian O'Driscoll has shown since the world cup.
However, it's still a year until it get's taken anything close to serious, so he might still shock us...as doubtful as that is.

I also obviously don't back him as a perspective captain, Mike Blair and Ryan Jones to share it is what I would guess/want.

 

[MunsterMan]

I wouldn't have him as captain but I would pick him. Who else is their?

 

[Gavin]

I don't think I can remember seeing him finish an Ireland game[/b]

Now that is just a load of rubbish. He played the whole test matches against New Zealand and Australia, well definately against the Kiwis.

and I've seen him go off injured more times than I can count since the world cup.
[/b]

When are these? I can't remember once when he has been taken off injured, you are going to have to jog my memory. O'Driscoll will go to South Africa and should be in the squad for each of the tests. He might be out of form but the Golden Boy of Irish rugby can do anything on the day. Who else possess the reputation to have two, maybe three, South African defenders on him constantly? Ryan Jones is the main man for captain but O'Driscoll and O'Connell are not far behind him.

 

[Sir Speedy]

It's hard to judge yet. Right now, there isn't a single decent 13 in Great Britain, as Shanklin was just plain toss against SA twice, and BOD isn't himself; as for the rest, don't even bother...

 

[Macsen]

I think he went off in the penultimate game of the Six Nations? I don't think he played the last game either.

I'd pick him but he's got a lot of work to do in a year.

 

[Cymro]

Yes hes a player that creates something out of nothing, hes a player that draws players to him that creates the gaps for overs!

Should not be captain tho!

 

[O'Rothlain]

I'd pick him for sure. He's still deveastating to defences even in matches Ireland have lost. His real problem has been the sense that he has to do it all his self. Maybe he's not the proper man, only because of that mindset, to captain (however, I still think he'd be an excellent captain and should be in the top of the list). O'Driscoll gives all he has on any given day to that match. It's a rare thing that you don't see in many rugby players.

 

[KZNSharksFan]

From a South African perspective, i'd love to see him in the lions :lol:

Anyway, he's an arrogant arse-as shown by his continued *****ing* about the 2005 lions tour (*which was justified..... for the first year after the injury) Brian= :wah:

 

[Chizzle]

Even though he is so arrogant, you never know what he'll pull out the bag. So yeah, the 13 place. But not captain.

 

[jim-the-sheep]

I'd definitely pick him if he had a good season, wouldn't have him as captain though, it would be interesting not to give him any actual captain responsibilities and let him be there as a player others would look up to for motivation. The problem is that under some managers players are picked on merit of reputation and not of form(Irish Rugby under EOS). If he plays well this season then he should be rewarded with a place, if not then it should go to somebody who has earned it.

 

[peppers07]

There is no one else really but as every has said he should not be captain

 

[steynboi]

hell no! i dont think he is a good centre OVERRATED!

I hope he gets owned again in the tour

 

[EnglandWillWin2011]

He'd be in my squad but i'd have Tait there

 

[dullonien]

I hope he gets owned again in the tour [/b]

Nice one............not! When you say owned, you mean get injured within the first 15min (can't remember how long it was), when I say injured I mean illegally spear tackled (allegedly).

Great start...............

He was a great player in 2005, better still pre 2005. But I'm not so sure about him for next year, there's better options. For me Shanklin's top of the pile. Yes I know he had a poor SA tour, but if there's a creative 12, someone like Henson to bring out the best in him, then there's few better!

I know he has his flaws, he's not all that creative on his own,showing why Henson's so important to Wales and him, players like Parker or even Jamie Roberts nullify his attacking abilities. He also lacks top notch distribution skills, emphasised v Scotland (I think) in this years 6 nations when he created room for Shane, but threw an appalling forward pass!

Problem is, there are verry limited options at 13 in Britain & Ireland, so at this point in time, Shanklin is my choice, maybe (hopefully) O'Driscoll will regain some form (Henson, O'Driscoll midfiled partnership would be amazing to see, though not sure how they'd get along!), if he does, it'll be good news for Irish rugby and for the Lions. Problem is, I don't see it happening................ do you?

 

[MunsterMan]

Nice one............not! When you say owned, you mean get injured within the first 15min (can't remember how long it was), when I say injured I mean illegally spear tackled (allegedly).

What's alleged about? It's fact.

 

[dullonien]

Nice one............not! When you say owned, you mean get injured within the first 15min (can't remember how long it was), when I say injured I mean illegally spear tackled (allegedly).

What's alleged about? It's fact. [/b]

Sorry, you're right. The camera's didn't pick anything conclusive up at the time, but just had another look and realised an amateur video was released which shows the incident in full.

Also, it was after 1min, making my point that he wasn't 'owned' atall!

 

[crispy]

It's a bit early to call really, we need to see the autumn tests and next years 6N. If Dan Hipkiss gets a run at 13 for England he could be in for a shout and Matthew Tait has done well recently when he's played there. Ben Cairns has shown alot of promise for Scotland but he's only had 2 caps so even if he has an amazing 6N someone more experienced will probably be picked. You could even stick Gordon D'Arcy at 13, but he's in as much a rut as O'Driscoll. If you've got Henson playing at 12 then Tom Shanklin must have a good chance as well since they play well together.

There aren't too many real options so O'Driscoll probably wins by default, I just hope to god Tindall or Noon aren't anywhere near the squad.

 

[steynboi]

he was owned he was stretchered off. He wasn't talked lightly he was brutally savaged.

Illegal or not he was physically owned.

 

[O'Rothlain]

he was owned he was stretchered off. He wasn't talked lightly he was brutally savaged.

Illegal or not he was physically owned. [/b]

What sort of douchebag are you? "Owned"? Really? I don't think that's the term to use. This is Rugby not that Gay MMA s___ where spear tackling is part of the strategy. He wasn't even "owned" by a single person...it was two people who "owned" one man. I think you need to re-estimate your assumptions about these sort of things.

 

[ra5137]

i would pick him but i wouldnt have him as captain... he has been in really bad form for the tests against australia and new zealand... he wasnt throwing any good passes