BOD: Henshaw can fill No 13 shirt
Although victory would be the perfect parting gift, the 35-year-old rebuffed any sentiment ahead of his final Ireland bow at the Aviva Stadium, before his summer retirement.
O’Driscoll instead turned the spotlight from himself when giving 20-year-old Connacht rising star Robbie Henshaw his blessing to be Ireland’s next “seasoned campaigner” at outside centre.
Backing three-cap Henshaw to lead the next generation of midfield talent, O’Driscoll said: “Robbie is a very, very talented young lad, who is a great listener, a really good young talent, and really good lad too.
“I think he has all the attributes to be a seasoned campaigner for Ireland for many, many years.
“And then you have the beauty of guys who have played there before in Luke Fitzgerald, someone like Jared Payne, who qualifies in November.
“As 13s absolutely Robbie and Darren Cave are well-placed; we’ve an abundance of talent coming through.
“I think it’s testament to Darren, who has not been in the frame for a while, but keeping an eye on his form for Ulster he’s been playing extremely well.
“So I think we’re in a good place with guys coming through, and in no time no one will remember me!”
O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy have been near ever-presents in both Leinster and Ireland’s midfields since 2000.
Their combination stands alone as the world’s most-capped centre duo, with O’Driscoll clear why — near-telepathic understanding.
It will mark O’Driscoll’s 140th international cap, including appearances for the Lions, and it will allow him surpass Australian scrum-half Gregan.
And if an Irishman happens to pass that mark O’Driscoll won’t be hugely upset. “I can’t see it being a bad thing. If somebody has been consistently good enough to stay in, hopefully, a competitive environment for 14 or 15 years then I would encourage it.”
Much of O’Driscoll’s thinking is that Ireland have moved on from the time of his first introduction to international rugby.
“I think we are in a very different place from a professional point of view. I would like to think that we are well down the road from when I came in ‘99, from an attitude point of view, an expectation point of view, a talent point of view and a player pool point of view. I think all of those have increased massively since then and you would definitely be hopeful for the future.”
O’Driscoll admitted he thought last March’s 13-13 draw with France in Dublin would prove his final Ireland turn on home soil.
Three-quarters of his bonus season later, the decorated Lion finds it easier to shrug off the emotions of retirement the second time around.
Ireland can still pinch the Six Nations title, and O’Driscoll is refusing to focus on anything else.
“It doesn’t feel any different, it’s just hard: you just want to get on with it,” he said. “I’m excited about it being a last home game, for sure, in that it will be one to remember.
“But at the same time and more importantly it’s an opportunity to put ourselves in an opportunity to win the Six Nations.
“I really won’t think too much on the final games until it’s done and dusted, and there’ll be plenty of time to reflect on it afterwards.
“There was emotion last year; against France I did at the time think that was going to be it.
“But a couple of different factors convinced me to play on for another year.
“You see lots of guys now that are over the 100 cap mark and still playing well. If guys look after themselves well and are able maintain their fitness for 13, 14, 15 years — particularly southern hemisphere players because they get more opportunities — I think you will see the 150-cap mark broken.”
“I’m not really that emotional a person, and so I won’t allow the build-up to affect me. Whatever emotions you do have after that will happen organically.
“Sure aspects will be difficult and I’ll be sad, but I can’t wait.
“There is no individual feeling, there really isn’t. There’s always time to reflect afterwards, and that’s the time to do it.
“The team is the absolute priority. There will be no extra emphasis made from anyone, other than an opportunity to give ourselves a final-day showdown with France.”
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