Inspired by the word of BOD

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL has spent much of this week playing down the significance of winning his 100th cap for Ireland against Wales at Croke Park this afternoon.

It has, however, been a forlorn hope, for the Irish captain has come in for a series of sincere compliments from home and abroad that have inevitably captured the headlines and lots and lots of air time on radio and television.

Even Welsh coach Warren Gatland, who hasn’t been averse to firing a few ill-advised barbs in the direction of his one-time players and employers, joined in during the week.

So when I caught up with Irish scrum-half Tomás O’Leary at the team’s headquarters in Killiney, he was more intent on discussing what O’Driscoll’s achievements have meant for the game in this country and for a myriad of young players who have come through during the great centre’s reign over the past 11 years.

“When I was watching matches as a young fella, I obviously like everyone else, looked up to Brian O’Driscoll,” said the number nine.

“That was especially the case when I was trying to break through to become a professional rugby player. He was the one you’d look up to. I would have always seen him as a leader. But when I came in and started playing with the team, I saw how much he does lead by example. Even in training, his attitude is top class. It’s just the confidence he has in his own ability and in the ability of his team.

“I suppose you pick up different bits but it’s his leadership qualities and how battle-hardened and tough he is on the pitch that strikes you most. I suppose he’s regarded as the best centre in the world but when you play with him you see how tough he is, how he’s willing to do the dirty stuff as well as the fancy stuff. You learn that from playing with him.”

Given what Tomás himself has achieved on the hurling and rugby fields and that his father, Seanie, is also a hurling legend, you mightn’t have expected O’Leary to hold any sportsman in awe. But it’s different with O’Driscoll: “Brian’s been at the top of his game for the last 10 or whatever years and it hasn’t levelled off,” he mused. “He has kept it up there and winning his 100th cap is an unbelievable achievement after John Hayes last week. Those two lads are unbelievable leaders for this team and unbelievable role models for anyone who wants to play rugby.

“There’s nothing specific but he’s just a great leader and has been a massive help on the pitch. Being a half-back myself, I have to control things too but getting an input from your captain is definitely a big thing.”

Tomás was more comfortable talking about O’Driscoll than himself but we finally moved on to how he feels his Six Nations campaign has gone.

He reflects that he was happy with his performance against Italy, accepts that he had “a poor game” in Paris and was back to a positive view after the thrilling defeat of England at Twickenham. And yet, he actually played down the major role he played in Tommy Bowe’s match winning try.

“Yeah, it was something we worked on in training and luckily it came off,” he said. “But the lineout went well and I just gave it to Tommy and he did the rest (laughs).

“I was worried after the French game. You have your doubts, obviously you hope to get in the team but I suppose you can’t let it worry you because it’s not in your control if you get selected or not. After the game it’s gone and you can’t control that, so you just have to come in and train as well as you can. If you’re dropped you have to be positive. I wasn’t sure I would be picked but, thankfully, I was. I felt last week was good, so…”

Quite understandably, Wales are disappointed that powerfully built scrum-half Mike Phillips is ruled out of today’s game because of injury but O’Leary would have had no fears of taking him on given that last season he curbed him, initially in the Grand Slam decider in Cardiff and later for Munster in their huge Heineken Cup win over the Ospreys. Instead, he takes on Richie Rees of the Cardiff Blues with whom he has also crossed swords in the Magners League.

Given his background, it is hardly surprising O’Leary regrets the games against Wales and Scotland next week will be the last rugby internationals at Croke Park for the foreseeable future. Then he quips: “I might get back there some day with Cork.”