Brian O'Driscoll inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame

Along with:

Shane Williams (Wales), Jeremy Guscott (England), Lawrence Dallaglio (England), Heather Moyse (Canada), John Dawes (Wales), GPS Macpherson (Scotland), Arthur Gould (Wales), Jonny Wilkinson (England), Daniel Carroll (Australia and USA), Daisuke Ohata (Japan) and Maggie Alphonsi (England).

Haven't heard of a few of these people but I'm sure they all deserve it.

You are meant to wait 3 years after retirement I though so is it not early for O'Driscoll?

Just goes to show how studiously I follow these things - I thought BOD got his Hall of Fame nod about 5 years ago.

Well better late than never I suppose. I hear two New Zealanders are going to bestow the award on him so he might send Amy instead.

On Gusgott, that seems a long wait for him

As if Guscott isn't smug enough already.

Feels like too many inductees to me. Unless it has only been around a short time and they are trying to back fill the place a bit to build up the history.

Other part of any of these hall of fames that gets to me is that they are media awards often given to ex-players who are now pundits in the media. Even more so in the NBA and NFL but I can see a bit of it in the above list, nice representation by BBC and Sky pundits.

3 years also seems very quick to be dishing out the likes of this. Rose tinted glasses on the final couple of season of a players career and all that. Feels a little too rushed. If people are still talking about a guy/girl 5 years, or 10 years down the line, then that is a far better indication that a player is HOF calibre.

SecretFly wrote:Just goes to show how studiously I follow these things - I thought BOD got his Hall of Fame nod about 5 years ago.

Well better late than never I suppose.  I hear two New Zealanders are going to bestow the award on him so he might send Amy instead.

On Gusgott, that seems a long wait for him

Even longer wait for Arthur Gould. He died almost 100 years ago!

Griff wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Just goes to show how studiously I follow these things - I thought BOD got his Hall of Fame nod about 5 years ago.

Well better late than never I suppose.  I hear two New Zealanders are going to bestow the award on him so he might send Amy instead.

On Gusgott, that seems a long wait for him

Even longer wait for Arthur Gould. He died almost 100 years ago!

Someone put his name in the B filing cabinet.

I was wasting a slow day by watching the NZ vs Wales 2003 RWC game on YouTube the other day, i.e. the game in which Ickle Shane got a chance on the wing and made quite an impact with his footwork and pace.

It seemed so odd to hear commentators talk about him with an air of comedy due to how small he was compared to those around him. After all he achieved with his 60 international tries and winning IRB player of the year in '08 it is easy to forget that for the early portions of his career many disregarded him as a wee lad who would never make it.

Very glad to say that he proved them wrong and managed to be a really likable player and bloke whilst doing it! Congrats Shane, a much deserved accolade to go with many others.

As for BOD, there's not much I can say that I haven't before. One of my favourite ever players and a true ambassador for the game. Incidentally another whose performances at the 2003 RWC are great to look back on, his try in the corner against Oz and dot down from Humphreys grubber through against France are fantastic finishes. That try saving tackle and turnover on Tony Marsh was quite something as well!

Who?

Arthur Gould G-O-U-L-D

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Feels like too many inductees to me.  Unless it has only been around a short time and they are trying to back fill the place a bit to build up the history...

It's been running since 2006, which isn't that long. The first year saw Webb Ellis, and Rugby School inducted, so that was a bit of a non-year.

Inductees aren't just players from the mens and womens games. They include coaches (Bob Dwyer), teams (Barbarians, Melrose), commentators (Bill Maclaren), Sevens stars (Serevi), administrators (Keith Rowlands was a player, but is in because he was first CEO of the IRB). Referees are probably there too but I don't recognize any names.

I think there's a lot of catching up going on while, at the same time, trying to not dilute the honour by announcing a thousand in one go.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Rugby_Hall_of_Fame

It is absolutely unconscionable that Maro Itoje is not already here.

GunsGerms wrote:

You are meant to wait 3 years after retirement I though so is it not early for O'Driscoll?

explains why big Phil ain't there yet.

about time for Sir Jonny as well.

Is there actually an award for being the only decent centre in Ireland for a decade ?