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.
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.
“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.
“The organisation is at a different level now to what it was when he came in,” Cullen said.
pothale
Guest
Absolutely, Dave. I want Rocky playing for the Blues in Dublin again. I do not want him in green for Ireland - thanks very much. He can - and should be allowed to put on Australia Gold anytime he likes as far as I'm concerned. And the sooner the ARU wakes up to this fact the better. Open up the gates, take down playing barriers, remove national team bans, and watch a really global club game begin to occur - NH and SH.
Dublin Dave
Guest
I don't think it's possible for him to play for another country now that he's already played for Australia. I know in the past, some people who played for New Zealand were able to play for Wales because of ancestry. (or not, as the case may be) but I think the IRB has stopped all that. Quite right too. I'd love him to stay at Leinster for another season. That would give him plenty of time to get back to Oz for the world Cup.
jools-usa
Guest
Help me. If Rockey stays at Leinster, how many years before he can play for Ireland? If it's 3, then he'd be 29 & the way he plays & in that daily-grind position, he may no longer be the force the Wallabies see in him now. Jools-USA
Dublin Dave
Guest
Sorry lads. You're not getting him back. We're keeping him. I don't care if we have to chain him to the RDS goal post with just enough slack to let him reach the opposite try line, bribe him with some of the billions of tax payer money we are going to have to spend to bail out our crappy banks, sell him our daughters or inject the fecker with swine flu to prevent him travelling. He's not leaving. Tell you what: you can have Whitaker and Harrison back. How's that? :)
jam
Guest
Couldn't Rocky sort of have it both ways by playing club rugby in Brisbane and Super 14 for the Waratahs? The extra flights would be annoying but there are a lot of Brumbies who play for clubs in Sydney. I know it's not as far but this arrangement must still be inconvenient. Perhaps the ARU could pay for Rocky's flights. It would be worth it just to have him play for the Wallabies and the Waratahs.
stu
Guest
Harry Elsom is an outstoundingly good player and a world XV #6 - i'd rate him as well above comparable combantants in the number 6 jersey and well above the #8 you have listed; Wyclif, Rodney, Sione, Juan & Ryan. Spies shows promise but it is early days and he can be quite hot then cold. Looking at Ritchie and George they play a different sort of game and role, and Schalk well.....Schalk is just a dirty thug I just wish he was coming back to NSW .
reds fan
Guest
Harry. He ain't coming to the Reds. Forget that dream.
Harry
Guest
pothale to be clear - I think Rocky is a world class player, and I'm very happy he's coming back to the Wallabies. We don't have Any world class forwards at the Reds at the moment (Moore buggered off, Horwill poor after his good form last season, McInjury found out when he had to actually play a few games in a row instead of looking great at training and the odd bench appearance; so he's taking the easy yen). We desperately need someone of his stature. But the best in the world and way ahead of the other backrowers I mentioned who are playing in the Super 14? No.
pothale
Guest
"European rugby couldn't have been more different to what I expected. Things were looking grim mid-season. But this was bigger than anything back home." Mr R Elsom.
pothale
Guest
Bozo - Why would I get a subscription to Setanta and ESPN? NH don't play under a rule interpretation. The global world of rugby played under one set of laws, bar S14 and 3N. Thankfully since Saturday, that has finished. OJ - the exact quote from O'Driscoll is that Rocky is 'probably' the best player he's every played with. So there's wriggle room there. A bit like the Carslberg ad. :) Harry - if you think that "Rocky in S14 - very good; but certainly didn’t and won’t stand clearly above George, Wycliffe, Ritchie, Rodney, Sione, Schalk, Juan, Pierre, Ryan. " Why then would you want him so badly: "I very much hope Rocky joins Queensland if he is coming back to Australia. Please please we need someone of his stature to lead us out of the wilderness." Just face it - he's the best player Australia has. and he's heading home. Start celebrating as opposed to carping. Rocky Elsom saying the the H Cup is bigger than any domestic tournament in the SH is accurate. It is. It's the premier club rugby competition in the world bar none. He was lucky enough to play for a year in it and win it. More power to his elbow.
Knives Out
Guest
Hammer, that's probably because Matfield played 2nd division French rugby. Bit of a difference there.
bozo
Guest
Pothole NH v SH? Subscribe to Setanta and ESPN and your queries will be answered. The rule interpretations NH plays under make for a more enthralling game. They would not have a local referee determining the outcome of the premier game of the competition!!
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Anytime O'Driscoll praises something it always turns out to be wrong.
Pothale
Guest
How come NH scribes think H Cup comp is better? I don't know. Equally how come SH scribes think S14 is better? Redundant questions. Rocky played out of his skin this season and easily bears comparison to other Sh players mentioned above. He is also better suited to NH game possibly. Let's see how next season goes.
Guy Smiley
Roar Pro
Hammer, the tournament is bigger than the S14. Better? That's up for grabs and we could be here all night arguing that one. But no S14 comp, no matter who was playing could pack in over 190,000 people for the 2 semis and the final (82k+ at Croke Park, 42k+ at Millennium Stadium, 66k+ at Murrayfield), all paying higher ticket prices too. SA aside, the passion of the crowds and atmosphere at the games is unbeatable. Rocky's game is now at a new level and will be worth every cent he is paid when he returns.
Harry
Guest
Rocky in the Northern Hemisphere comp - best player in the world, or at least the dominant loose forward - by some distance judging by the praise - in their premier competition. Rocky in S14 - very good; but certainly didn't and won't stand clearly above George, Wycliffe, Ritchie, Rodney, Sione, Schalk, Juan, Pierre, Ryan. Shows which competition is superior. I very much hope Rocky joins Queensland if he is coming back to Australia. Please please we need someone of his stature to lead us out of the wilderness. As to Ioane, the article in today's Aus makes it pretty clear that money is his number one motivation. If that is truly his own opinion (I am always sceptical that some agent is using lazy journalists to write stories/angles that boost their bargaining position) then good riddance, of to Japan you go with McInjury for the easy yen.
Ben C
Guest
Hammer He said it was bigger than the SH tournaments. Not that it was better!
Hemjay
Guest
Hammer I have to agree lets wait and see how he is when he gets back to the SH if he comes back that is. Has he definately said he will come back? Why is it that the NH scribes think there competition is the best in the world? So what they have huge crowds and can pay the SH boys huge dollars to head up and play it doesn't make their competition any stronger. If you ask me it just weakens their teams further as they are not developing their own talent. Notice how most Internationals though actually don't head up there until they are well past their use by date and past their peak. There is the odd exception but general status quo is that they are past optimum condition. Also many other players were never serious Wallaby or All Black contenders and with the latter were often only awarded AB shirts due to Henrys rest and rotation policies. Rocky is an exceptional talent but it will interesting to see how it fronts up in super rugby and Tri-Nations. If he does go to the Reds maybe his leadership might help to actually gel the team together. With the large defections when the force came into being and retirement etc Queensland has lost alot of its brains trust as well as talent. In saying that the Reds did show potential and maybe with someone of Rockys calibre it might help to galvinise the team and also could help to attract some of QLDs talent back home.
Hammer
Guest
""This tournament is bigger than any domestic tournament in the southern hemisphere," said Elsom, still under serious pressure from the Australian Rugby Union to return to Wallaby ranks." .... Obviously there's a fair bit of pandering to the local news hounds with a quote like that - but it may also have something to do with the fact he's not been within a decent shout of a S14 title ... and he'll certainly won't be if he's considering the Reds ... interesting to see what he's actually like when he returns ... despite all the blunder NH rugby isn't anywhere near the level of S14 - Matfield sufferd from his brief stint ... Elsom may need a half season or so to get back to speed
Barry
Guest
Tarpo - you are spot on. We have lost our way in recruiting and retention. Lote WAS a sensation, but 2 years out from a world cup shouldn't we be contracting the players who will actually be useful then? oh, and when will someone finally remove Al Baxter - we need to move on people...Love Phil Waugh, but Smith and Pocock are going to be the answer going forward. Spread Phil, Al's and Lote's cash out over talented young guns might be a better path. Hate to say it but Morty is in the firing line too. perhaps this is his last hurrah as Wallabies captain. Last thing - will someone PLEASE send Quade and Kurtley back to club rugby to learn how to consistantly control a game....they need it more than most.