The impossible hat-trick?

FOR 10, long dispiriting years, Brian O’Driscoll has toiled in the cause of Leinster.

Most of the time he was captain of a side that began every year appearing to possess the ability to become champions but all too often flopped when the most serious questions were asked. He was entitled to doubt whether they would ever reach the Holy Grail although to his great credit, his own standards never faltered.

The first signs that the corner had finally been turned came in the quarter-final defeat of Harlequins at The Stoop where a magnificent defensive display – one that most previous Leinster teams could never produce – eked out a precious single point victory.

“We have stood up and been counted,” stressed a proud O’Driscoll. “We haven’t forgotten the things that were said about us in December by certain quarters of the media.

“I could list off a number of names but I’m not going to do so. You don’t forget that. Some very distasteful things were said but today was very sweet.

“We know the real diehard support and we’ll enjoy this victory with them because they have been there through thick and thin. There will be a few people jumping on the bandwagon as there always are and they can enjoy the ride as well. But the diehards are the ones we really respect and cherish.”

No less than the players, the Leinster fans have really fed into what has been happening and O’Driscoll was only too happy to praise their contribution.

“The support was enormous to us,” he enthused. “Today it must have been three-to-one and credit where credit is due, the marketing department did a brilliant job in this game and in the Munster game and really tried to promote Leinster and I’m glad that we were able to back it up for them.

“This means absolutely everything. At the start of the year, I sat down and spoke with Michael Cheika and told him I wanted this more than anything. I wasn’t thinking Grand Slam. But having gone 10 years at this and only made a couple of semi-finals … these are your pals you’re playing with day in, day out.

“It means so much to win with Shane Horgan, Malcolm (O’Kelly), Girvan (Dempsey) and Darce (Gordon D’Arcy). These are guys I’ve played with for a long, long time and to have success with them is brilliant. But in the same breath, you feel for people like Denis Hickie, Victor Costello, Reggie Corrigan. We accept this Heineken Cup slightly on their behalf as well.”

These, of course, are very worthy comments but O’Driscoll was also quick to point out that it would not have happened were it not for the contribution in his first year with the province of a very special Australian.

“Let me put it this way, we wouldn’t have won the Heineken Cup without Rocky Elsom,” he declared. “Irrespective of what happened, Rocky Elsom was the player of the Heineken Cup before the final and then you saw his display today. He’s a remarkable player and probably the best I’ve ever played with and I’ve played with some very good players.’’

Even O’Driscoll, though, was a worried man when the Tigers went 16-9 ahead thanks to a try by Ben Woods just before half time.

“At seven points down, we had our work cut out,” he admitted. “I’m sure the vast majority of people thought, they’re gone now, it will be a two or three score match to Leicester. But I know the resilience of this team … we’re a very tight knit group. We have worked very hard at that.

“We enjoy each other’s company, we socialise together, we have a great laugh, there’s no hierarchy of senior players and younger players. It’s everyone mixing together and I think you could see that out on the pitch today, the camaraderie among everyone. And it’s not just the 22 who took the pitch today. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s very much the whole squad that enjoys this victory.”

It takes more than team spirit to win a European championship and O’Driscoll believes he knows how it has all come to pass.

“Our defence was massively important – we didn’t concede many tries in the whole competition and you’re starting on a sound footing there,” he said. “And in the latter parts, we discovered our attack again which had failed us in previous seasons and we weren’t afraid to make mistakes and throw the ball around. Playing with that kind of attitude, passes stuck a lot more and we scored a lot of good tries in doing so.”

O’Driscoll may no longer be the Leinster captain but he and coach Michael Cheika have a strong bond and O’Driscoll was happy to salute the Australian’s contribution.

“I’m delighted for Michael Cheika because he stuck by us,” O’Driscoll said. “Last year was meant to be our year for getting to the final, granted it took us another one, but the guy continually tries to make himself better as a coach and surrounds himself with people who will do likewise and keep things fresh. That’s not easy for a coach who is in his fourth year. So I’m delighted as much for all the players as I am for him.”

O’Driscoll returned to Dublin on Saturday night to join the celebrations before flying back to London yesterday to join up with his Lions teammates as they set off for South Africa.

As so often these days, he will carry more than a few bruises with him although he is satisfied that the knock he took to his shoulder in the second-half on Saturday won’t impair his effectiveness in South Africa.

“My shoulder is okay”, he assured. “I’ve been struggling a little bit with it and it’s something I’ll just have to manage. I played in three competitions this year and won two of them and won the other one last year so it sets me off on the Lions tour in good frame of mind.”