O’Driscoll’s immense contribution was the decisive factor

WHEN a player of Brian O’Driscoll’s renown and stature admits that “this was one of the more physical Test matches I’ve played in a long, long time,” the point is well made.

The captain’s contribution was immense, his strength of character never better exemplified than in the way he took what was essentially the game’s vital score after his side had swarmed all over the English line for seemingly ages before the breach was finally made.

Failure to do so at that point might well have proved fatal. Crucially, O’Gara landed a vital penalty and his critics would do well to note that without that score, the outcome might very well have been a whole lot different.

Individually, there were few stand-out players on either side although record breaker John Hayes is performing like a fine claret, getting better with age. O’Connell led the pack with his usual vigour and his athleticism at the line-out continues to astound. O’Callaghan’s incredible work rate has rarely been seen to better advantage, a testimony if ever there was one to the old adage that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Ireland came out at the right end of a seriously tough encounter, it’s two out of two over the auld enemy at Croker and now it’s full team ahead to Scotland at Murrayfield. And if you’re looking for a happy omen — when Ireland last completed the Grand Slam in 1948, they defeated England by a single point, 11-10.

IRELAND: R. Kearney; T. Bowe, B. O’Driscoll capt, P. Wallace, L. Fitzgerald; R. O’Gara, T. O’Leary; M. Horan, J. Flannery, J. Hayes, D. O’Callaghan, P. O’Connell, S. Ferris, D. Wallace, J. Heaslip.

Replacements: P. Stringer for O’Leary (65); D. Leamy for Heaslip (68); R. Best for Flannery (68).

ENGLAND: D. Armitage; P. Sackey, M. Tindall, R. Flutey, M. Cueto; T. Flood, H. Ellis; A. Sheridan, L. Mears, P. Vickery, S. Borthwick, N. Kennedy, J. Haskell, J. Worsley, N. Easter.

Replacements: J. White for Haskell (temp 57); D. Care for Ellis (57); M. Tait for Sackey (57); A. Goode for Flood (65); T. Croft for Kennedy (68); L. Narraway for Easter (75); J. White for Sheridan (75).

Referee: C. Joubert (South Africa).