O’Driscoll wins Rugby World player of decade award

LEINSTER manager Chris Whitaker described Brian O’Driscoll’s selection by prestigious Rugby World magazine as player of the decade as a no-brainer.

The former Australian and Leinster scrum-half said O’Driscoll’s selection would come as little surprise to the international rugby community, particularly to anyone who had played either with or against him.

“Brian has been absolutely outstanding for the last 10 years, obviously in the last four or five years he has been extra special.

“He has scored some memorable tries and put in many memorable performances throughout the decade and has become more than just a lethal attacking weapon because he is now arguably the best defensive centre in the world as well.

“There is really nobody that has played with that level of intensity and success over the entire decade; nobody that has been so influential for every team, be it club or country.

“Whenever Australia played Ireland, the talk in the Wallaby camp was how to find ways of stopping Brian. He was the man we used to look out for in terms of trying to stop him from scoring, but also trying to find ways of getting past him. He was and is the complete player,” said Whitaker.

O’Driscoll’s father Frank was delighted with the news.

He told Newstalk : “I only heard it 20 minutes ago so I ran into the shop and got the magazine but haven’t had time to open it yet. It’s terrific. We all know what has happened over the last number of years but the past year was just phenomenal. His defence over the couple of years has been absolutely sensational and he’s one of these players who’s not only a phenomenal attacker, he’s an unbelievable defender...

“I don’t think I ever saw him play a better game than against England at Croke Park. I think everything about his talent was shown that day. His defence, his courage after he was blasted out of it by Flutey, and then Dylan Armitage took him out. He’s one of these players. Sometimes I think he’s a bit of a lunatic, he just cannot play at 90%. He has to play at 120% all the time.

“He was very competitive as a kid, wanted to be involved in everything, had a go at every game but then I was lethally competitive as well so he didn’t lick it off the floor! Hard man to take money off in golf I tell you!”

The Leinster, Irish and Lions centre announced his arrival on the world stage in 2000 with a stunning hat-trick in Ireland’s Six Nations victory over France in Paris.

O’Driscoll finished the decade captaining Ireland to their first Grand Slam in 61 years and playing an instrumental role in Leinster’s long-awaited Heineken Cup triumph.

A three-time nominee for the International Rugby Board’s world player of the year, O’Driscoll played on three British and Irish Lions tours, including one as captain.

Rugby World team of the decade: M Muliana (New Zealand); J Robinson (England), B O’Driscoll (Ireland), M Giteau (Australia); D Carter (New Zealand), A Pichot (Argentina); G Jenkins (Wales), J Smit (South Africa), C Hayman (New Zealand), M Johnson (England, capt), V Matfield (South Africa), R Hill (England), R McCaw (New Zealand), S Parisse (Italy).

Replacements: R Roncero (Argentina), M Ledesma (Argentina), S Marconnet (France), JM Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina), F Du Preez (South Africa), J Wilkinson (England), Y Jauzion (France), JM Hernandez (Argentina).