BOD: Almost irreplaceable

There is a generation of Irish sports’ fans who have no idea what Irish rugby was like before Brian O’Driscoll. Lucky them.

By this time next year they might have expected a rude awakening — except that part of O’Driscoll’s greatness and legacy is that he was the tide that did lift all boats. He inspired those around him by his great, world-class skills; bottomless, self-destructive courage; über competitiveness; and most importantly, the dignity and ease with which he carried his great gifts. He celebrated those gifts by realising their potential so completely that few if any of his peers, anywhere in any sport, can consider themselves his equal.

He was central to the coming of age of Irish sport in a way that hardly anybody else can claim. By showing that we can compete with anyone he inspired a generation that now expects to do just that. The value of that path finding can be seen in the fact that three Irish teams are still in Heineken Cup contention while England have only two.