RUGBY:NOW THE shirt fits. In his first game for Ireland a callow Irish centre was in danger of being caught by a gust of wind and blown across the Australian landscape. Twenty years old and not a game for Leinster bagged, Brian O'Driscoll launched himself into a career that seemed to inflate season by season. Three years after that summer tour he was handed the captaincy. At 31, he hasn't let go.
Along the road the ill fit of those early years has become more tailored and O’Driscoll now speaks like a player who can respect the significance of his 100th cap against Wales on Saturday, even see the end of the career approach. But he refuses to be caught in twilight moments. With Wales to beat, there is almost a fear of softening, of losing control to the emotion.
There is also an agreeably hard edge to O’Driscoll, a pragmatic streak and a stubbornness not to be drawn into a week that could wrap itself around him like a comfort blanket and carry him into Croke Park and Wales believing in every magical thing that has been written so far.
“At the start you want to get as many caps as possible,” he says. “Then your mindset changes and you want to win as many times as possible, win individual games, get selfish, want trophies.
“You don’t think ‘oh one day I want to win 100 caps’. Certainly the last few years, I’ve thought that the next game in the green shirt could be the last. Think like that and I don’t think you can go far wrong.
“I’m not chopped liver yet,” he adds drawing some wry smiles from the audience.
“I’ve had lows, sure, times when I thought parts of being a professional rugby player are tough, when you’re in a trough rather than a peak. But possibilities lie ahead every season. To achieve something you and the team haven’t done keeps you going.
“I’ve had low Mondays like everyone else in this room has.
“But people aren’t going to treat you any different because you have 100 Test matches. People didn’t treat John Hayes any differently last week. When I lead the team out and they play the anthems, it’s a proud moment for me and my family. Sure, a little bit of emotion. I’ve never been one for letting that get out of control. Always been one for keeping it in check.”
Declan Kidney sat beside his captain yesterday, almost completely still. He spoke of the difficulty of trying to find something to say about O’Driscoll that has not been said before. That’s the difficulty with an 11-year international career, just what aspect to settle on.
“Consummate pro, trains hard, good player,” advises Kidney as he deliberately cools the rising temperature of the room. He then comes truthful.
“I know Brian, more than anyone, will want to win (against Wales). That’s why I didn’t overload the answer,” he explains.
O’Driscoll missed out on the first match in Croke Park; he’s beaten hamstring injuries and shoulder dislocations; he’s been spear tackled and almost knocked unconscious by Paul O’Connell; he’s been voted the World Player of the Decade but not IRB World Player of the Year, despite being nominated three times, in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
He’s played in three World Cups, gone on three Lions tours and led Ireland to a Grand Slam. Since Keith Wood relinquished the captaincy, O’Driscoll redefined it. Even on that issue he takes uncertain steps. The shirt not belonging to him and only being on loan is always there.
“There are always aspects to the captaincy that you’re not totally comfortable with,” he says. “I want to make sure of changing things, not sound like a broken record. I still work on my captain’s day speech on the Friday before the match like I did in my very first time.”
There have been quiet times and three seasons ago some were quick to push him towards the end line. O’Driscoll kept low and instead of offering the niggling injures as reason he said nothing. From the outside a timed run or perfect angle, a no-look pass or hauling a defence one way are the eye-catchers. Hard work the players seem to respect just as much.
“The second I think I have it cracked, it’s time to hang up boots,” he says. “Because you’ve lost the plot.” Latterly the clear outs, the rucking and the freight he carries as a dangerous presence on the pitch has amplified his game. O’Driscoll now easily fills that billowing shirt of his first cap.
IRELAND (v Wales, Croke Park, Saturday, 2.30pm): G Murphy (Leicester); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), T O’Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Buckley (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O’Gara (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster).
