Brian O'Driscoll
 |
| Full name |
Brian Gerald O'Driscoll |
| Date of birth |
(1979-01-21) 21 January 1979 (age 33) |
| Place of birth |
Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland |
| Height |
1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight |
95 kg (14 st 13 lb) |
| School |
Blackrock College |
| University |
University College Dublin |
| Rugby union career |
| Playing career |
| Position |
Centre |
| Professional / senior clubs |
| Years |
Club / team |
Caps |
(points) |
|
UCD
Blackrock College
Barbarians |
|
|
| correct as of 2007-09-15. |
| Provincial/State sides |
| Years |
Club / team |
Caps |
(points) |
| 1999–present |
Leinster |
151 |
(271) 53 Tries |
| correct as of 21 Aug 2011. |
| National team(s) |
| Years |
Club / team |
Caps |
(points) |
1999–present
2001, 2005, 2009
2000-2004 |
Ireland
Lions
Barbarians |
117
6
3 |
(240) 45 Tries
(5)
(5) |
| correct as of 11 Dec 2011. |
Brian Gerald O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. Registered at University College Dublin RFC, he plays at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster. O'Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 RBS Six Nations Championships.[1]
O'Driscoll has 123 Test caps, 117 for Ireland (80 as captain), and 6 for the British and Irish Lions.[2][3] He has scored 45 tries for Ireland and 1 try for the Lions in 2001, making him the highest try scorer of all time in Irish Rugby.[2][4] He is 8th-highest try scorer in rugby union history, and the highest scoring centre of all time. O'Driscoll holds the Six Nations record for most tries scored with 25.[5][6] He has scored the most Heineken Cup tries (30) for an Irishman.[7] He is widely regarded as one of the best centres to have played the game.[8][9]
O'Driscoll was born in Clontarf on Dublin's Northside to Frank and Geraldine O'Driscoll, both general practitioner doctors.[citation needed] As a child, he played Gaelic football before moving to rugby.[citation needed] For his secondary education he attended the famous Blackrock College where he played on the Senior Cup team in 1996 and 1997.[citation needed] Although he started the first two rounds of the competition in 1996 he was subsequently dropped to the bench for the remainder of the competition, an unused replacement in the victorious final in which Leo Cullen and Bob Casey were the second-row. He Captained the School in 1997 but were beaten in the Quarter-final by Clongowes who had Gordon D'arcy in their side. [10] He was capped three times for Ireland Schools in 1996.[11][12] In 1998, O'Driscoll played for the Ireland U-19 side, which won the Under 19 Rugby World Championship. After leaving school, he attended UCD on a scholarship.[13] At UCD, he first made the under-20 side, before being promoted to the top team near the end of his first year.[13] After two years, O'Driscoll graduated from UCD with a diploma in sports management.[13] It was at UCD that coach John McClean moved O'Driscoll from fly-half to centre. He made his Ireland under-21 debut in February 1999, and eventually gained four caps.[12]
O'Driscoll made his debut for Leinster in 1999, and under head coach Matt Williams and backs coach Alan Gaffney he became an explosive force in the Leinster backline.[citation needed] In 2001, Leinster won the inaugural Celtic League beating Munster in Lansdowne Road. In 2003, Leinster were heavy favourites for that year's Heineken Cup but were beaten by Perpignan in the semi finals.
Leinster appointed Michael Cheika in the summer of 2005 and despite rumours of O'Driscoll moving to France, O'Driscoll agreed to another year in Ireland. That year, O'Driscoll returning from a shoulder injury suffered on the Lions tour, would assume the captaincy for the season. Under backs coach David Knox and the movement of Argentine international Felipe Contepomi to fly half, the Leinster back line became one of the most potent in Europe.[14] O'Driscoll excelled in wins over Bath Rugby and Toulouse away from home. These victories would set up an Heineken Cup semi-final in Lansdowne Road against Munster, but defeat against the eventual champions Munster would deny O'Driscoll and his team a final berth. Leinster were also denied a Magners League title, with David Humphreys of Ulster slotting an injury time drop goal to give victory to Ulster in their final game of the season.[citation needed]
In 2007, Wasps beat Leinster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. In 2008, Leinster lost in the group stages. In 2007, Leinster reached the final hurdle of the league only to be denied by the Ospreys and Cardiff. In 2008, Leinster won the title ahead of Munster, marking O'Driscoll's second honour with the province, his first and only as captain.[citation needed]
The 2008–2009 season marked a shift in focus for O'Driscoll. Despite retaining the Irish captaincy under new coach Declan Kidney, he handed the honour of Leinster captain to Leo Cullen. O'Driscoll scored two tries in the defeat of English champions London Wasps, but was followed by away defeats for Leinster to both London Wasps and Castres. Leinster advanced to the quarter-finals to face Harlequins in the Twickenham Stoop. When O'Driscoll was absent through injury in April 2009, Leinster relinquished their Magners League crown to Munster at Thomond Park. Against Harlequins, Leinster scored a 6–5 victory, the game infamous for the bloodgate incident.[citation needed]
In the semi-final against rivals Munster in Croke Park, a 82,206 sell out, O'Driscoll was awarded the man of the match award (which he later dedicated to the entire team) after an intercept try completed a convincing win for Leinster and sending O'Driscoll to his first final.[15] Leinster captured the Heineken Cup against Leicester Tigers on 23 May 2009. The 19–16 Heineken Cup victory included a drop goal from O'Driscoll who was suffering from a shoulder injury.[16]
In the 2010–2011 season, O'Driscoll won his second Heineken Cup with Leinster.[17] Having been injured in a Magners League game one week before the final, O'Driscoll was a major doubt, but he recovered sufficiently and was named in the starting XV.[18] In the final held at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on 21 May 2011, Leinster came from behind to defeat Northampton 33–22.[17]
In the 2012 Heineken Cup Final O'Driscoll won his third Heineken cup with Leinster. The beat Ulster Rugby 42-14 in an entertaining battle. Sean O'Brien opened the scoring for Leinster Rugby and they were ahead 7-3. At half time the score was 14-6 with Cian Healy scoring the second try for Leinster Rugby but there was still a lot to play for. A penalty try was then awarded for Leinster Rugby but Ulster pulled a try back from second-row Dan Tuohy. Heinke van der Merwe then settled the game with a try for Leinster and Sean Cronin made sure of Leinster's success.
B.O'D. captaining Ireland vs Georgia in the 2007 RWC
In 1999, O'Driscoll was selected for the senior squad and was on the bench for a match against Italy, although he did not play. He won his first Test cap at age 20 on 12 June 1999 in a 46–10 loss to Australia in Brisbane as part of the tour of Australia. O'Driscoll played for Ireland before he played for the senior Leinster team.[13] In 2000, O'Driscoll scored a Hat-trick of tries in a Six Nations Championship victory against France in Paris, propelling Ireland to their first win in Paris since 1972.[3][19]
O'Driscoll's popularity in Ireland was expressed by supporters wearing T-shirts bearing the motto "In BOD We Trust".[20] In 2002, O'Driscoll starred in Irelands 18–9 win over Australia, the first Irish victory over the Wallabies since 1979.[21] In 2003, following the international retirement of long-time Ireland captain Keith Wood, O'Driscoll was awarded the captaincy. In that year, O'Driscoll led Ireland to second place in the Six Nations Championship. This was followed by Triple Crowns in 2004 (Ireland's first crown since 1985), 2006 and 2007. In 2004, O'Driscoll captained Ireland to a 17–12 victory over South Africa, the first Irish win over the Springboks since 1965.[22]
In 2009, O'Driscoll was again selected as captain, leading Ireland to win the Triple Crown, Six Nations Championship and their first Grand Slam in 61 years.[23][24] He scored a try in every match except one, culminating in a 17–15 victory in Cardiff in which O'Driscoll again scored a try and was the RBS man of the match.[25] On 27 March 2009, he was named as player of the 2009 Six Nations Championship.[citation needed] O'Driscoll won a fans' online poll.[26] In May 2009, he was named the Bord Gáis Energy IRUPA Players' Player of the Year for the past season.[27]
On 15 November 2009, in a 20–20 draw against Australia at Croke Park, O'Driscoll scored a last minute try.[28] The next day, he was named as one of the seven nominations for the 2009 International Rugby Board player of the year, but, to much criticism, he controversially missed out to Richie McCaw for this title by a solitary point.[29][30]
O'Driscoll started for and captained Ireland for every match during the 2010 Six Nations Championship. He picked up his 100th test cap for Ireland against Wales in the Millennium Stadium.[citation needed] He scored his 40th test try against New Zealand on 12 June 2010.[citation needed]
He started every match for Ireland in the 2010 Autumn Tests, and bested the Four/Five/Six Nations record for tries scored against England in March 2011.[citation needed]
O'Driscoll has played for Ireland in the last three World Cups (13 caps, 6 tries).[citation needed] He became Ireland's most capped player on 26 June 2010 against Australia, winning his 103rd cap.[citation needed]
In the 2011 Six Nations Championship, O’Driscoll’s 47th minute try against England, took him past Ian Smith’s 78-year-old record of 24 tries to become the leading Championship try scorer of all time with 25 Tries.[5][6] The same day, O'Driscoll equaled John Smit's International Captaincy caps of 75.[31]
O'Driscoll appeared in all three British and Irish Lions Tests on the team's 2001 tour of Australia where he announced himself as a world star with an outstanding individual try in the 1st Test victory at The Gabba in Brisbane.[3] On 11 April 2005, he was named captain of the team for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. Prior to that tour, he had been named captain of the Northern Hemisphere side for the IRB Rugby Aid Match (a 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami fundraiser) held at Twickenham in March 2005, but was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury, but appeared pitch-side for the match.[32][33]
O'Driscoll's playing contribution to the 2005 Lions ended in the opening minutes of the first Test against the All Blacks in Christchurch on 25 June 2005, when he was carried off the field on a stretcher with a shoulder injury just after being spear-tackled in tandem by All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu after the ball had been cleared out of a ruck.[34] He extended one arm to protect his head, and his shoulder was dislocated on impact.[35]
The independent citing commissioner found that the New Zealand players had no case to answer, and The Lions management were criticised by New Zealanders for attempting to divert attention from the teams poor performance. However, four months later, and following new footage of the incident, the International Rugby Board unequivocally condemned the spear tackle by Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu.[36] The International Rugby Board's communications manager Greg Thomas stated "...that dangerous tackles like this have no part in the game".[35] Although unable to play, O'Driscoll remained as non-playing captain on a losing tour and only underwent surgery on his return. He then released a DVD entitled Brian O'Driscoll's Lions Diary in which he described his tour experience and his opinion of the events that transpired.[36]
On 21 April 2009, O'Driscoll was selected as part of the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.[37] On 1 June 2009, he was named as captain of the Lions for the game against the Golden Lions taking place on 3 June, in place of the rested Paul O'Connell. He was also named in the outside centre position for the Lions in their first test of the 2009 tour against South Africa, in which he made two assists as the Lions lost 26 – 21.[citation needed] He was forced to withdraw from the tour on 30 June before the third and final test due to a head injury and subsequent concussion he suffered in the second test.[38]
O'Driscoll has appeared three times for the invitational Barbarians rugby team: against South Africa on 10 December 2000, against Scotland on 22 May 2004, and against England on 30 May 2004. Against South Africa, O'Driscoll scored his only try as a part of the Barbarians team.[39]
In September 2005, as O'Driscoll was said to be preparing to leave Irish provincial rugby and agree to a contract to play in France, the IRFU quickly announced they would do all they could to keep him in Ireland.[40] O'Driscoll subsequently signed a deal with the IRFU to keep him at Leinster through the 2007 World Cup. O'Driscoll made his playing comeback for Leinster in December 2005 at Ravenhill against Ulster.
In 2001, 2002 and 2009, O'Driscoll was nominated for the IRB World Player of the Year. In 2001, he lost out to his Irish teammate Keith Wood; in 2002, to Fabien Galthié; and, in 2009, when widely regarded as favourite for the award to Richie McCaw by a solitary point, with one judge who would otherwise have given O'Driscoll the award, citing a flawed voting system.[30]
O'Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 RBS Six Nations Championships.[1]
In 2007, former England centre and captain Will Carling published his list of the '50 Greatest Rugby players' in The Telegraph, and ranked O'Driscoll the tenth greatest player of all time.[9]
In summer 2008, O'Driscoll received the Dubliner of the Year Award from The Dubliner magazine.
In January 2010, O'Driscoll was voted World Rugby player of the decade (2000–2009) by the magazine Rugby World.[41]
“'Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”
O'Driscoll married actress Amy Huberman in July 2010.[43]
He has published one book, "A Year in the Centre" (2005), a memoir of a year as professional rugby player.[citation needed] A biography of O'Driscoll, called In BOD We Trust, by Marcus Stead was published in March 2008.[citation needed] A revised and extended version of Stead's book was published in August 2011, titled "Brian O'Driscoll: The Biography".[citation needed]
In February 2011, O'Driscoll and his wife were invited to the Wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton,[44] but only his wife attended, because of his club team's (Leinster) preparation for their Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse the day after the wedding.
On 18 May 2011, O'Driscoll attended a state dinner hosted by President Mary McAleese to mark Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the Republic of Ireland.[45]
Correct as of 19 March 2011[46]
A Year in the Centre, 2005, Dublin, Penguin Books, Ltd ISBN 1-84488-078-8[47]
- ^ a b Brian O'Driscoll named Six Nations player of the tournament The Guardian Retrieved 21 March 2011
- ^ a b Irish Rugby: Ireland – Profile: Brian O'Driscoll Retrieved 21 March 2011
- ^ a b c Brian O'Driscoll: Rugby Union Profile ESPN Scrum Retrieved 21 March 2011
- ^ Lyle Jackson (15 February 2009). "2009 Six Nations". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7891402.stm. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
- ^ a b O'Driscoll sets all-time try record Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 21 March 2011
- ^ a b O'Driscoll the great has Irish believing in BOD The Independent Retrieved 21 March 2011
- ^ Leinster Rugby – Profile: Brian O'Driscoll Retrieved 21 March 2011
- ^ O'Driscoll still world's best centre, insists Kiwi backs coach Smith Independent. 16 November 2010
- ^ a b "Will Carling – My Top 50 Rugby players". London: The Telegraph. 13 August 2007. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/2320582/Will-Carling-My-50-top-rugby-players.html. Retrieved Retrieved 2009-17-11.
- ^ O'Connor, Ruaidhri (20 January 2010). "Rock of Ages". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/schools-rugby/rock-of-ages-2023552.html.
- ^ "Current Ireland Squad-Brian O'Driscoll". irishrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070208044750/http://www.irishrugby.ie/226_165.php. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ a b "Brian O'Driscoll". leinsterrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070928063513/http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/members/index.asp?locID=37&docID=92. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ a b c d Conlon, Tommy (30 March 2003). "Irish put their faith in Bod". Scotland on Sunday. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=374982003. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ Munster v Leinster: Match Preview RTE Sport Retrieved 24 March 2011
- ^ "Leinster 25–6 Munster". BBC Sport. 2 May 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8030912.stm. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ "Leicester 16–19 Leinster". BBC Sport. 23 May 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8057916.stm. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ a b Northampton's recovery overturned as Leinster herald age of the Irish The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2011
- ^ O'Driscoll the warrior leads a Leinster team full of class and nous Mail Online. Retrieved 21 May 2011
- ^ "Irish verve and vitality carves out famous win". Irish Times. 20 March 2000. http://web.archive.org/web/20000819021454/http://www.ireland.com/sports/rugby/6nations/0319/sn1.htm. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ "World Cup stars to watch out for O’Driscoll, the green giant". Rugby World Cup Limited. http://www.france2007.fr/rugby_article.php?id_rubrique=4&id_article=419&lang=en. Retrieved 2 January 2007.
- ^ "Ireland v Australia – Head to Head Statistics". irishrugby.ie. http://www.irishrugby.ie/18104_18118.php.
- ^ "Ireland v South Africa – Head to Head Statistics". irishrugby.ie. http://www.irishrugby.ie/18104_18120.php.
- ^ Proud Brian O’Driscoll relishes dramatic finish to Ireland's Grand Slam The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 24 March 2011
- ^ Finally, after 61 years of pain, let the party start The Guardian Retrieved 24 March 2011
- ^ Roberts, Gareth (22 March 2009). "2009 Six Nations". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7954758.stm. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
- ^ "O'Driscoll wins top player award". BBC Sport. 27 March 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/7968575.stm. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
- ^ "O'Driscoll honoured by fellow players". RTÉ Sport. 6 May 2009. http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2009/0506/odriscollb.html. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
- ^ Petrie, Richard (15 November 2009). "Ireland 20–20 Australia". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/irish/8361384.stm. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
- ^ "O'Driscoll leads IRB nominations". BBC Sport. 16 November 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/irish/8362646.stm. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
- ^ a b Oreilly, Peter (20 December 2009). "Brian O’Driscoll was one of the men who showed Ireland the way". London: Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article6962988.ece. Retrieved Retrieved 2009-20-12. "Captain has led Irish rugby through the decade with an unflinching purpose and self-assurance"
- ^ Standley, James (2011-03-18). "2011 Six Nations: Ireland 24–8 England". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9426975.stm. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
- ^ "North and South XVs announced". irb.com. 3 March 2005. http://www.rugbyaid.irb.com/News/050303+SL+XVs+announce.htm. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ "North 19–54 South". bbc.co.uk. 5 March 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/4294979.stm. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ BBC News 30 June 2005
- ^ a b Orlovac, M. and Stokes, J. (25 October 2005). "No action on new O'Driscoll video". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/4376306.stm. Retrieved 20 January 2007.
- ^ a b IRB outlaw spear tackles after O'Driscoll injury London: The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 24 March 2011
- ^ "O'Connell to lead 14 Irish Lions". RTÉ Sport. 21 April 2009. http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2009/0421/lions.html. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
- ^ "Lions lose O'Driscoll for finale". BBC Sport. 30 June 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8126436.stm. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
- ^ Barbarians Player Archive - B.G. O'Driscoll [1] Retrieved 5 November 2011
- ^ IRFU keen to keep O'Driscoll in Ireland RTE Sport Retrieved 24 March 2011
- ^ Berkeley, Geoff (6 January 2010). "Brian O'Driscoll named player of the decade". London: Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article6977699.ece. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
- ^ RTÉ Six Nations coverage.
- ^ Roisin Ingle (2 July 2010). "Irish rugby captain O'Driscoll marries". Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0702/breaking47.html. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
- ^ "Royal wedding: Brian O'Driscoll and wife invited". BBC News. 24 February 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12565232. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
- ^ Susan Ryan (19 May 2011). "President McAleese hosts Dublin Castle dinner in honour of royal visit". theJournal.ie. http://www.thejournal.ie/gallery-president-mcaleese-hosts-dublin-castle-dinner-in-honour-of-royal-visit-139577-May2011/. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ^ Player Analysis: Brian O'Driscoll, Scrum, 23 March 2010.
- ^ A year in the extraordinary life of one of the top players in world rugby Penguin Books
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To 1910
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To present
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Notes
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Note 1: Robert Seddon died on tour after a boating accident, Andrew Stoddart, became captain for the remainder of the tour.
Note 2: Matthew Mullineux decided that after losing the first test that he should withdraw from further test matches, handing on field captaincy to Frank Stout, but remained tour captain.
Note 3: David Bedell-Sivright was injured during the first test. Teddy Morgan took over captaincy on the field but Bedell-Sivright remained tour captain.
Note 4: The team that John Raphael captained was not selected by the four Home Nations governing body, but had been organised by Oxford University and billed as the English Rugby Union team. However, it was denoted as the Combined British team by its Argentine hosts because it also included three Scots.
Note 5: Jack Jones captained the first test only, but Tommy Smyth remained the tour captain.
Note 6: Michael Owen captained the Lions in the first tour game, the test vs. Argentina in Cardiff. Brian O'Driscoll was injured at the beginning of the first test. Martin Corry and Gareth Thomas took over captaincy on the field but O'Driscoll remained tour captain.
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To 1900
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To the First World War
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To the Second World War
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To the Professional Era
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To the Present Day
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Odriscoll, Brian |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Rugby player |
| Date of birth |
21 January 1979 |
| Place of birth |
Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
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