The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Rocky heaps pressure on ARU in European Cup triumph

24th May, 2009
27
1814 Reads

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll hailed Rocky Elsom as the best he’d played with after the Australian flanker’s man-of-the-match display in Leinster’s European Cup final triumph over Leicester.

Elsom produced a “frightening” display of power running in the 19-16 victory at Murrayfield that will heap more pressure on Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and ARU officials to ensure he finally agrees to sign up and return to Australian rugby.

“I would say he’s the best player I have ever played with and I have played with many good players,” O’Driscoll said of Elsom after his team’s success in their first European Cup final.

Elsom joined the Dublin-based provincial side, where O’Driscoll has long been the key figure, at the start of the season after getting an an early release from his Australian Rugby Union contract on compassionate grounds last year.

Wallabies officials are hoping he will re-sign with either NSW or Queensland after his duties with invitational side the Barbarians are completed in the next fortnight.

The 26-year-old is reportedly undecided on his future and remains ineligible for the Wallabies until signed to an Australian Super 14 side.

Elsom will turn out for the Baa Baas against England at Twickenham next Saturday and against Australia in Sydney on June 6.

Australia’s home Tests begin the following weekend against Italy in Canberra.

Advertisement

O’Driscoll, who this season led Ireland to the Six Nations grand slam – their first clean sweep in 61 years – has won 93 caps for his country and is about to embark on his third tour with the British and Irish Lions.

And after a Leinster side routinely branded as under-achievers won European club rugby union’s greatest prize, he was in no doubt about the contribution of Elsom.

“Let’s put it this way, we wouldn’t have won the Heineken (European) Cup without Rocky Elsom,” O’Driscoll said.

“He doesn’t make many errors and his ball carrying is frightening.

“Irrespective of what happened today Rocky Elsom is the player of the Heineken Cup and you saw the display he produced today, he is just a remarkable player.”

It was the Australian’s drive which led to Ireland back-rower Jamie Heaslip’s try early in the second half which, together with Jonathan Sexton’s conversion, tied the scores at 16-16 before the five-eighth kicked the decisive penalty 11 minutes from time.

O’Driscoll’s comments were echoed by Leinster’s Australian coach, Michael Cheika.

Advertisement

“He (Elsom) has added to our culture, I think he has improved his footy and I think he showed why the Australians want him back,” Cheika said.

Elsom’s every touch of the ball was greeted with chants of “Rocky, Rocky” by Leinster fans in an echo of the boxing films of the same name starring Sylvester Stallone.

“You want to have days like these,” Elsom said.

“There were times in the year when it looked pretty long odds that we’d make the final. But in the last three games, there was a lot of clarity about what we wanted to do.”

Cheika also paid tribute to another Australian who played a key role in Leinster’s success, former Wallaby halfback Chris Whitaker.

“He has been an integral part of a culture we want to build, lots of humility and integrity,” the coach said.

Leinster captain Leo Cullen said Cheika, who arrived four years ago, deserved credit too.

Advertisement

“The organisation is at a different level now to what it was when he came in,” Cullen said.

close