Unfortunately for Australia’s grand slam hopefuls, leading Ireland to their first Six Nations crown in more than half a century hasn’t quenched Brian O’Driscoll’s appetite for major rugby spoils.
O’Driscoll will play his 100th Test on Sunday at Croke Park and is hoping to celebrate the milestone with a stylish victory over Australia in Ireland’s opening match of their autumn campaign.
“I have a great hunger for the game at the moment and just look forward to pulling on the green jersey again and hopefully picking up from where we left off in March,” O’Driscoll said.
“You always look forward to coming back into the Irish squad. It’s the pinnacle of everyone’s career to play internationally.”
He is taking nothing for granted, though.
One of Ireland’s greatest ever players, O’Driscoll made his Test debut against Australia in Brisbane in 1999, and remains ever wary of the Wallabies a decade on.
“They’re just a very smart team. Probably more often than not, I’d say they’re the smartest team in world rugby,” he said.
“They think about how to break down defences. They have the personnel to do that and they’re able to adapt on the pitch.
“That’s the big feature. They might go in with plan A but they can change it throughout the game so that makes them dangerous.
“They’re always a great challenge.”
The superstar centre – set to marry Irish actress Amy Huberman – said opposing Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom for the first time since they teamed together to help Leinster win the European Cup in May would give the Lansdowne Cup clash an added edge.
“I happened to bump into him on Monday in a restaurant in Dublin and we just chatted away for a while but, for 80 minutes, we’ll put all that aside on Sunday and we’ll take one another on,” O’Driscoll said.
“Rocky is a fantastic player, a world-class player. He was great for us last year and I’m sure his mind will certainly be focused on winning a Test match as much as mine will.”
Coach Declan Kidney on Wednesday named a formidable line-up featuring just two changes to the side which clinched Ireland Six Nations and grand slam honours for the first time since 1948 with a thrilling 15-13 win over Wales at Millennium Stadium.
Leinster prop Cian Healy will make his Test debut after replacing injured loosehead Marcus Horan, while Kidney surprisingly opted for Paddy Wallace ahead of Gordon D’Arcy as O’Driscoll’s inside centre partner.
“You don’t ever like leaving a fellow like Gordon out. That’s a big call to have a player of his ability not in the 22,” Kidney said before tipping an extra tough time for his side following Australia’s confidence-boosting win over England last Saturday.
“Any side that goes to Twickenham and comes away with a win is bound to give you a bucketful of confidence. They’d been knocking on the door for a while in the Tri Nations.”
Australian-born prop Tom Court, who played three Super 12 matches for Queensland in 2006, is on the Ireland bench.
Ireland: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll (capt), Paddy Wallace, Luke Fitzgerald, Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Paul O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan, John Hayes, Jerry Flannery, Cian Healy. Reserves: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Leo Cullen, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Keith Earls.
Derm
Roar Guru
Good clips, Frank. This is one of my favourites - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5UGFTLJ6-Y&feature=related I was watching this match, and noticed that O'Driscoll had wandered over to the wing, as if to rest himself during the game from a slight injury he had picked up. Unfortunately, Wasps bought that story too.
bennalong
Guest
The biggest danger for the Wallabies is Kaplan............ This is true! The advantage we have is our last two games. Our work at the breakdown has improved but Kaplan must be even handed and control the breakdown. If the lineout holds as per the second half against England, we will dominate them in the scrums. Given possession I think we're due for an early meat pie. Having said all this I look foreward with anticipation to finding out Ireland's form. I think O'Gara is well known to us and can be rattled. I think he's too conservative but then again our kicking game has to be clever to ensure we keep out of our own half. Giteau at second (I hope) must pass early in the game. He must give the a dose of Ione early to get him (Digby) into the match whilst setting himself up for more classic inside running later in the game. He's a better player than the straight runner we've been seeing going to ground with the ball and Ione can worry them hugely IF he sees the ball on a few consecutive plays Finally, we must improve our security when receiving from the restarts GO THE WALLABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
Just watch BOD against Australia - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsrjZm0TcAA&feature=related And against France - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbHf5PTmnDU&feature=related Italy too - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiFU0e-mFc&feature=related But wait there's more - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26ElDSoOPas&NR=1&feature=fvwp Just a gun player. Such an awesome player. Incredibly underrated in the Southern Hemisphere.
Who Needs Melon
Guest
"They’re just a very smart team"... “They think about how to break down defences. They have the personnel to do that and they’re able to adapt on the pitch. That’s the big feature. They might go in with plan A but they can change it throughout the game so that makes them dangerous." I think either BOD is showing his age with these comments or he's playing a few little mind games. We haven't been a smart team for a while. And we no longer seem to be able to adapt on the pitch.
Derm
Roar Guru
but as a player the same? which is all that matters.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Australian-born prop Tom Court, who played three Super 12 matches for Queensland in 2006, is on the Ireland bench. Its seems Pothale that the gene swap runs in both directions.
Dean Pantio
Guest
Our opinions of him as a person are polar opposites.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I think the world of Brian O'Driscoll. He's one of my favourite rugby players ever. He'll be a huge danger to Australia on the weekend. He didn't shine in terms of pure centre play in this year's six nations, but he seemed to be to do whatever was necessary when the game was there to be win. He was the first one to step forward and take action, and that to me is a what a great leader is about. To me the Lions selecters erred in not making him captain. And look what happened to the Lions backline in the second Test when he was injured. The Lions backs seemed to lose a bit of direction - although admittedly there were a lot of players playing out of position. The most impressive aspect of the Lions play, aside from maybe the scrummagging of Gethin Jenkins, was the centre combination of Roberts and O'Driscoll. They were a wonderful pair of creative centres, and it's a shame they're not form the same country. I love going back and watching the first Test of the 2001 Lions tour, not only for O'Driscoll incredible solo try, but for all his clever line breaks. As I slow the DVD down, it seems to me that he breached what was then the best defence in the world with little more than a deft change of direction. There was another instant in the first Test where Dafydd James scored a try after O'Driscoll made another sensational break. His breaks were the combination of speed, balance, agility, and vision. He had it all. Off the field I always respected the way he conducted himself in interviews and how he represents the game. Ireland have a tremendous champion in him.