Raise your cap for O'Driscoll, a great Lions servant.

by fa0019 Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:59 am

Most of us woke this morning to find our expected Captain for the 3rd test won't even be in the 23. Most will not agree and we hope its for playing reasons only but what it certainly means is that BOD's Lions career is now at an end.

4 tours, 8 caps, 2 wins, 1 series tour captain, 1 try and (in all probability) zero series wins. I think he should look back with pride in his lions career even though he will in likelihood have never got over the line in terms of series victories.

People today will probably say the lions team is full of them but in reality our current class is not of the same calibre as touring sides like the 93 touring side (perhaps the best lions pack in memory) and players today can't win matches on their own, even George North.

I myself doubted he could go the full tour without breaking down... but fair play to him, he lasted and played well throughout especially in defence (probably our most solid defender) and its criminal to think his talented in attack were never utilised properly. You can't just expect magic from these guys... if you don't give them the platform, you can't expect much with the opposition in mind.

Where would I rank O'Driscoll in terms of modern lions??? I'd probably say peerless bar Johnson and Guscott and just ahead of Hill, Gibbs, Moore and Wood.
To go on 4 tours is pretty unbelievable in itself... pre 89 tours were every 3 years and tours had 4 tests each so had BOD been fit for all he would toured 5 times and got many more test caps to his name.

by The Boss Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:20 am

Cheers to the legend that is BOD. Well said fa!

by kiakahaaotearoa Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:20 am

The danger of not having major international silverware in terms of a Lions series win or a RWC is to think that BOD is not a special player. This is of course palpably nonsensical. Being part of a Lions squad that won a series would be justice for such a gifted player but it often doesn't work that way.

It's an incredible achievement to have 4 tours as a back with the Lions. It's a shame we never got to see him in 2005 and that neither player received any punishment. But looking back on his career even with the Lions there are too many highlights to focus on such a low point or that he might come away winless in a Lions series.

I consider it a privilege to have seen in the flesh playing for Ireland and the Lions this incredibly gifted player. notworthy

by GloriousEmpire Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:37 am

But after you've raised it, make sure you bring it back down responsibly; or there'll be an outcry. Possibly even two.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:51 am

The Boss wrote:Cheers to the legend that is BOD. Well said fa!

+1

by SecretFly Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:23 pm

Thank God he decided not to retire when the Lions Tour is over. And the calls were coming hard from outside sources for him to do just that, saying it would be a fitting end to a great career to call time with the 'Great' British and Irish Lions.

A damp squib more like. A gameplan for two tests that must have haunted him, given how much we Irish shiver at the thought of a defensive, kick-away, containing game. He's had to endure so much of those tactics in his latter years with Ireland, defending himself to exhaustion; and at the same time, the contradiction that he was at his most creative and threatening best playing for Leinster through those years.

So I'm happy that he's decided that his real end to an International career will be in the colours of his own Nation - green - Ireland. And with a new coach who likes the kind of game O'Driscoll has always loved, there is at least still a chance that his true final ending as a player might be a happier one than this latest cold and clinical back-stabbing jaunt in Red.

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:39 pm

Which one of you Irish lads came up with this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deg1bQt1rzQ ?

by SecretFly Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:47 pm

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Which one of you Irish lads came up with this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deg1bQt1rzQ ?

That brightened my mood! Very funny. Hitler was a very misunderstood leader. He always has a handle on the truth in his YouTube broadcasts.

by theslosty Wed Jul 03, 2013 1:06 pm

SecretFly wrote:So I'm happy that he's decided that his real end to an International career will be in the colours of his own Nation - green - Ireland. And with a new coach who likes the kind of game O'Driscoll has always loved, there is at least still a chance that his true final ending as a player might be a happier one than this latest cold and clinical back-stabbing jaunt in Red.

by daiglass63 Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:45 pm

SecretFly wrote:So I'm happy that he's decided that his real end to an International career will be in the colours of his own Nation - green - Ireland. And with a new coach who likes the kind of game O'Driscoll has always loved, there is at least still a chance that his true final ending as a player might be a happier one than this latest cold and clinical back-stabbing jaunt in Red.

Sad comment, so very sad.

O'Driscoll is a legend and an amazing player, but no one is beyond being dropped. I am sure that he will be right behind the team on Sat and prove what a total professional he is. His position in the annuls of Lions history is assured despite not being selected for Sat.

by SecretFly Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:54 pm

daiglass63 wrote:
SecretFly wrote:So I'm happy that he's decided that his real end to an International career will be in the colours of his own Nation - green - Ireland. And with a new coach who likes the kind of game O'Driscoll has always loved, there is at least still a chance that his true final ending as a player might be a happier one than this latest cold and clinical back-stabbing jaunt in Red.

Sad comment, so very sad.

O'Driscoll is a legend and an amazing player, but no one is beyond being dropped. I am sure that he will be right behind the team on Sat and prove what a total professional he is. His position in the annuls of Lions history is assured despite not being selected for Sat.

You be sad and I'll be angry, how's that? Wink

by daiglass63 Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:05 pm

SecretFly wrote:
daiglass63 wrote:
SecretFly wrote:So I'm happy that he's decided that his real end to an International career will be in the colours of his own Nation - green - Ireland. And with a new coach who likes the kind of game O'Driscoll has always loved, there is at least still a chance that his true final ending as a player might be a happier one than this latest cold and clinical back-stabbing jaunt in Red.

Sad comment, so very sad.

O'Driscoll is a legend and an amazing player, but no one is beyond being dropped. I am sure that he will be right behind the team on Sat and prove what a total professional he is. His position in the annuls of Lions history is assured despite not being selected for Sat.

You be sad and I'll be angry, how's that?

Ok.

by **Notch** Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:06 pm

Arguably the best Lions player of the professional era. Deserved better than this farce.

by fa0019 Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:25 pm

I think I'd put Jonno ahead of him and Guscott too (both were amateur & pro lions) but otherwise he's been outstanding.. if for nothing more than his consistency.

He never truly excelled in a lions jersey compared to what we saw him do in the green of Ireland, part misfortune mind given he missed 3 tests (4 really as 1 min can't really count as a test match performance) to injury during his time which over 4 tours is probably quite a decent run... Stephen Ferris could have had 6 Lions caps by now... currently he has 0 and probably never will. Same with Will Greenwood... 2001 was his time to shine. Injury robs so many players of career defining performances.

by kiakahaaotearoa Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:30 pm

That is a class video Pete. Aussie nurses get paid today and Don't worry, there still aren't any Scots in the squad were particular highlights. If you drop him though, it doesn't make much sense to have him on the bench. There's no room for sentiment but it's a pity that he can't be out there for his last Lions appearance.

Could be still room for a fairytale. Might reckon he'll be aiming for the last match against the ABs and with Conrad Smith out of that tour, who knows...

by littlejohn Wed Jul 03, 2013 6:01 pm

To highlight what a great servant he was I read in the london metro (yes that highly underrated mecca of rugby news!) that after training earlier today he asked Roberts if he wanted to do extra training to help him out. Always thinking of the greater cause and focusing on the team not himself.

Legend!

by **rodders** Wed Jul 03, 2013 8:04 pm

Notch wrote:Arguably the best Lions player of the professional era. Deserved better than this farce.

Definitely deserved better. Shafted by the ABs, ROG and now by Gats. Should have been the greatest pro Lion but is behind Johnson and Woodie for me...

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