Ruddock hails O’Driscoll’s longevity

FOR ALL Brian O’Driscoll’s outrageous natural talent, Mike Ruddock insists it is his strong work ethic that has swept him to the brink of a special milestone.

O’Driscoll will captain Ireland for the 50th time in tomorrow’s clash with New Zealand at Croke Park — only the sixth player to reach the half-century.

It was Ruddock, Leinster’s director of coaching, who plucked him from UCD in 1999 and selected him for the province’s A team. And Ruddock insists there was little sign of leadership potential. Instead, that emerged the hard way with O’Driscoll’s longevity explained by his attitude.