Ireland's 1st 6 Nations without O'Driscoll.

I don't know the exact stats. Maybe someone else can dig them up. But Ireland's 6 Nations winning percentage with O'Driscoll is something like 70%. Their winning percentage when he is out is something like 40%. A huge drop. He's carried Ireland in many games. He dragged us kicking and screaming to our Grand Slam with match winning scores in several games. He's won player of the Championship many times. He's been the top scorer in the tournament a lot too. He's the record try scorer in the history of the 4/5/6 Nations Championship. He's easily the greatest player of the Championship over the last ten years. We'll definitely miss him. Not sure our opponents will. But how do people of all nationalities think Ireland will cope without O'Driscoll?

Here's all his 6 Ntions tries. Link

I think we will cope but there may be some bumps on the way.

To be honest with:

Earls, Barnes at Munster
O'Malley, McFadden at Leinster
Cave, Spence at Ulster

Backed up by Hallaran, Griffin, Marshall etc I think we will develop the right centre combo in due course. The talent is there.

I miss him already...

Next year Munster's center pairing could be Downey/Bowe!

Feckless Rogue wrote:Next year Munster's center pairing could be Downey/Bowe!

I hope not...

I feel sorry for Earles allready

I think when BOD returns, it will be BOD-Earls as our centre partnership for a while. TBH I think that is a pretty good partnership! Good balance to it.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I think when BOD returns, it will be BOD-Earls as our centre partnership for a while. TBH I think that is a pretty good partnership! Good balance to it.

Its certainly the one a lot of people want to see...

Well previously I have been very critical of Earls at centre because of his distribution, but I think I have been too critical and he can get better at this through playing 13. I do think however he will perform best with a creative 12 inside him, and therefore I think BOD paired with Earls would be very nicely balanced.

12) BOD
13) Earls

Why hasn't this been done MUCH sooner??

As a player - overrated.

SecretFly wrote:As a player - overrated.

O'Driscoll you mean Fly? Or Earls?

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Well previously I have been very critical of Earls at centre because of his distribution, but I think I have been too critical and he can get better at this through playing 13. I do think however he will perform best with a creative 12 inside him, and therefore I think BOD paired with Earls would be very nicely balanced.

12) BOD
13) Earls

Why hasn't this been done MUCH sooner??

We were all calling for it in 2010 when we saw a glimpse of it against Wales. It was obvious even then that we'd have problems around the corner in midfield. But Kidney never used it again despite a brilliant attacking display.

Neither - just messing There isn't a player above O'Driscoll in my eyes. He's top and always has been.

I was actually going to agree with you if you meant BOD over the last few years haha there have been better 13s out there. But only the past few years mind you. I still think he has a lot to offer Ireland though, especially at 12 where he could still be world class IMO.

It's interesting that nobody seems overly concerned by his absence. The stats show his absence means we lose more than we win.

However Leinster have coped perfectly without him. Sexton has taken his place as our attacking talisman and Kearney and Fitzgerald have lifted their games considerably. You'd barely even notice he's missing. Will Ireland be the same?

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I was actually going to agree with you if you meant BOD over the last few years haha there have been better 13s out there. But only the past few years mind you. I still think he has a lot to offer Ireland though, especially at 12 where he could still be world class IMO.

Of course age takes the edge off all players, and injuries niggle for longer, and other life pursuits maybe begin to distract you.
There are faster and hungrier guys out there in Ireland right now - but with his innate instincts for a 'kill moment', or his ability to be the one who sparks a revival of spirits as his team watch him even try something without success, or his brutal defensive work, or his ability to second guess what's in the mind of opponents, without thought but through instinct alone and gaining possible intercepts... I've yet to see an Irish 13 that is close to being his whole package.

Added to that is that 2009 year that Feckless alluded to - one man as a force of nature. His end is coming but it'll be the King is dead, long live the King.

I think BOD is so important to the team, but he isn't the best centre in the world anymore and hasn't been for some time. Over the world cup we played him when he clearly wasn't fit, which did no good. However you have to admit, when BOD is starting everyone feels a lot more confident, he adds a protective layer to the whole team. He has been the core of Ireland but we really have to adapt.

Feckless Rogue wrote:It's interesting that nobody seems overly concerned by his absence. The stats show his absence means we lose more than we win.

However Leinster have coped perfectly without him. Sexton has taken his place as our attacking talisman and Kearney and Fitzgerald have lifted their games considerably. You'd barely even notice he's missing. Will Ireland be the same?

I think its because despite all the gloom about our game in recent years, we are all much more confident in the new players coming through. We don't really see ourselves as a one man or a two man side anymore - it's not all that long ago that we really did think those thoughts and, in truth, it wasn't that far off the mark. But now we certainly have the makings of a good Irish side - but maybe it still hasn't been picked. If it isn't, it is there waiting. We all seem to be confident of that.

I honestly dont think that we will see BOD in another 6N squad. I really hate the sound of that but i just feel that he wont make it back to his top form and other players will take his place.

You think Ireland might have it bad with out BOD?

What about Wales with out Shane Williams?

Atleast BOD as not retired altogether from international rugby, and will at some point return to the Irish squad.

Unlike Shane he will never grace the International game again.

I think he has enough grit to want a final year - or even two. Don't forget we've written his obituary before and he came back more toned and actually fit than he possibly was in his 'prime'. I think he'll be planning for one final year at least - and by that, I don't mean expecting a place as right but playing sufficently well to get the call.

He's even talking of possibly having a contribution to Leinster's end of season games. It might have been his last 6N but I strongly doubt it.

I just cant see him coming back into the team Fly. Ireland will be in a transition phase in preparation for the nest 6N and RWC so will be looking more towards the younger generation.

I hope that i amwrong but its just the way i see it.

He is going to make one hell of an attacking coach one day though

He could make the tour to New Zealand. I guess a lot depends and how the alternatives do in the meantime.

My centres for New Zealand - BOD, Earls, McFadden, Cave

Feckless Rogue wrote:He could make the tour to New Zealand. I guess a lot depends and how the alternatives do in the meantime.

That he could but lets keep things in perspective. BOD is/was a great player, there are younger players taking up the mantle and BOD is not getting any younger. I would love to see him play for Ireland but i just cant see it happening again, especially not in a tournement.

We still need an old head to help the more developed centres on tour.

For me that is BOD not D'Arcy. To go without either would be a huge mistake and BOD simply has so much more to offer

The other youngsters - O'Malley, Spence etc can wait their time will come

I haven't time to dredge through all the above posts but if O'Driscoll can't get in the Munster team past Ryan and O'Callaghan then he shouldn't be selected for Ireland.

Plus there's no way MOD scored all those tries Feckless, who give you those stats, Sin E ?

Ridiculous thread.