Is O'Driscoll the best ever?

Dickerty

Yes, I realise that few of us have seen enough of Gibson or O'Reilly, or WJMcB. But from what we know of them, and what the experts have said, is it possible that O'Driscoll is our greatest ever player with 10 solid years under his belt?

3 Lions Tours
3 Triple Crowns
1 Grand Slam
1 Heineken Cup
3 6 Nations POTY

46 tries in 118 games for Leinster
36 tries in 93 games for Ireland

He has redefined the outside centre position from a defensive perspective, rucking and turning over ball as good as a world class flanker. He still has the pace and step as good as any player in a generation.

I for one am glad that I have watched him in his prime, and I look forward to conversations in 20 years or more, when people compare the latest star to the great Brian O'Driscoll. I can then say "I saw him play..."

Riskymove

he's no doubt the best Irish player of my lifetime based on his natural talent in the game and I have been watching since he was running around in the mud in the AIL

however, I also think its difficult to compare positional players, especially in Rugby, given the differing physiques, requirements etc

e.g. Willie John McBride offered something different to O'Driscoll but McBride was still certainly a rugby great

Judgement Day

Yes, one of the all time greats! As a Munster fan I hate to see BOD lining out for Leinster - he's one of those players whose very presence on the pitch can turn a game. Down here a lot of people had him written off before the last 6 Nations but I'm glad to say that I maintained that his finest hour was yet to come. His try on Saturday was superb but pity it had to be against Munster. Incidentally, I feel the same way about ROG and despite his woeful form since the 6 Nations just know 'he'll be back. ':D

anonymous_joe

Ah he's ok.

stephen_n

Different game now since when Gibson played so it's very hard to tell, but he will defenitelly go down as one of our greatest ever players and probably purely cause of the amount of footage of him playing will be the longest remembered!

Risteard

Agree with Riskyplayer that in rugby, it's hard to say definitively who is the best player as the positions are so varied and require different skills.

But in my opinion he contributes the most overall to any team he's with in terms of defence, attack etc. So he is to me the best Irish player ever. Though I wasn't alive when the likes of Wille-John and Gibson was around so it's hard to compare.

gcgirl

Completely has anyone came near him nope ! He is worldclass !

musky

IMO his ability is only surpassed by his resiliance, determination and longevity.

In other words HELL YEAH

If he isn't IRB player of the year we may just all give up and start supporting the celtic crusaders. :eek:

RuggieBear

Ahem...some of friends of mine work for Celtic Crusaders.

But yes BOD is probably the best Irish player ever imo...impossible to judge against the other greats as the game is so different.

musky

RuggieBear wrote: »

Ahem...some of friends of mine work for Celtic Crusaders.

But yes BOD is probably the best Irish player ever imo...impossible to judge against the other greats as the game is so different.

OK, what about supporting the might ducks of anheim, any friends there?

ballgirl10

Dickerty wrote: »

46 tries in 118 games for Leinster
36 tries in 93 games for Ireland

Dont forget he has scored 5 drop goals for Ireland aswell as a couple for leinster.

Kalashnikov_Kid

Yah loike taitally loike

DonkeyPokerTour

I'd go further and say is he the greatest player in the world ever?

He hasn't had the same worldwide effect that Lamu (not that i'd consider him the greatest player of all time, but easily the most recognisable) had, but in Ireland, youngsters may not know anyone on the Irish team, aside from the Legend that is 13.

He is truely world class and as Said above we should give up if he does not get IRB player of the year.

SpAcEd OuT

Hes going to go down as one of the greatest players in the world so the fact that we are even debating whether he is the best Irish centre of all time is laughable in my opinion!

WeeBushy

SpAcEd OuT wrote: »

Hes going to go down as one of the greatest players in the world so the fact that we are even debating whether he is the best Irish centre of all time is laughable in my opinion!

The debate is about whether he's the best Irish player of all time, not best Irish centre.

He's definitely up there with the all time greats on a world stage imo, but it's so hard to call one definitively, the greatest ever. He's an absolute legend nonetheless.

Teferi

Great player.

Crap biography.

jayteecork

I think he certainly is the greatest ever Irish back.

Sandwich

Greatest Irish player ever. Yes.

In the world. No. But world class nonetheless.

toomevara

Bah, comparisons are odious, particularly across Amateur, semi-pro and pro era's..How would would keith Crossan, Simon Geoghegan, Michael Tiernan, Trevor Ringland, Ollie Campbell, to name but a few, have been in a fully pro team properly resourced and coached?...we'll never know....

I'll say this though BOD is one of the most naturally talented rugby players I've ever seen..I'd put him up there with Guys like Blanco, Davies, Hanley (RL), Robinson,Lescarboura etc...one of his generation's greats....

Spore

Lol another BOD adulation thread...

Sometimes when I watch him play I just expect time and space to rent apart in some cataclysmic moment of monumental transcendece in which the great BODness is taken back to that Nirvana of sporting excellence from whence he came...

Yeah, pretty good player IMO.

Spore

toomevara wrote: »

I'll say this though BOD is one of the most naturally talented rugby players I've ever seen..I'd put him up there with Guys like Blanco, Davies, Hanley (RL), Robinson,Lescarboura etc...one of his generation's greats....

Yes absolutely, he's practically reinvented the 13 position as someone pointed out. When defences got cute to his typical outside pinzer try thing he started running on the inside channel, hanging off the sides of rucks and scrums, scoring typical flanker tries. His defensive game is awesome, reads the attacking play so well, scores intercepts or runs out of his line to make bone-crunching and quite often turnover tackles. His chip and punt game is as good as any out-half's... and he can score dropgoals at crucial moments. Christ, short of taking the kicks he's the complete player. Even the great Campese didn't have all those attributes.

wixfjord

Spore wrote: »

Yes absolutely, he's practically reinvented the 13 position as someone pointed out. When defences got cute to his typical outside pinzer try thing he started running on the inside channel, hanging off the sides of rucks and scrums, scoring typical flanker tries. His defensive game is awesome, reads the attacking play so well, scores intercepts or runs out of his line to make bone-crunching and quite often turnover tackles. His chip and punt game is as good as any out-half's... and he can score dropgoals at crucial moments. Christ, short of taking the kicks he's the complete player. Even the great Campese didn't have all those attributes.

Ah now his kicking has improved but it isnt that good!

NickNolte

He's the best in the world at what he does, no doubt about that. He really has redefined what a number 13 can do after bouncing back from his 'darker' period. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than watching him silence his detractors.

In my mind, the greatest rugby player Ireland has ever produced.

[Jackass]

It's difficult to compare generations, but of the professional era, he's the best Irish player by a country mile and probably the best player in the world of the professional era consistantly over the last 10 years.

twinytwo

Dickerty wrote: »

Yes, I realise that few of us have seen enough of Gibson or O'Reilly, or WJMcB. But from what we know of them, and what the experts have said, is it possible that O'Driscoll is our greatest ever player with 10 solid years under his belt?

3 Lions Tours
3 Triple Crowns
1 Grand Slam
1 Heineken Cup
3 6 Nations POTY

46 tries in 118 games for Leinster
36 tries in 93 games for Ireland

He has redefined the outside centre position from a defensive perspective, rucking and turning over ball as good as a world class flanker. He still has the pace and step as good as any player in a generation.

I for one am glad that I have watched him in his prime, and I look forward to conversations in 20 years or more, when people compare the latest star to the great Brian O'Driscoll. I can then say "I saw him play..."

this makes him the highest test try scoring centre ever

markonm

Best I've seen in the last 20-30 years (in no order)

Michael Jones - Best open side ever, truly awesome.
David Campese - The most exciting
Sean Fitzpatrick - hardest and best captain
John Eales - Nobody's perfect
Dan Carter - 2nd test against Lions - as close to perfection as you'll get
Brian O'Driscoll - too many brilliant moments/games to mention.
Serge Blanco - Most naturally gifted attacker

Best of that lot? Impossible to tell.

redmca

The only player that comes close (in his own era) is Gareth Edwards, scrum half for Wales throught the 70's and test SF to the Lions in '71 and '74.

In his day (like BOD) he revolutionised SF play with an exceptionally long pass for that time, thus helping Barry John and Phil Bennett to become OH legends.
In addition, he had real pace.

Back to BOD: A small example of his contribution last Saturday was when Leinster rolled their maul right up to the Munster posts. Half way through, BOD joined the maul like a train ........ his inout all over the field is nothing short of awesome.

OldJay

markonm wrote: »

Michael Jones - Best open side ever, truly awesome. - Never played pro rugby union though so I'd be torn between choosing Dave Wilson and Josh Kronfeld as they took breakaway play to another level.

David Campese - Most prolific for sure.

Sean Fitzpatrick - hardest and best captain - I disagree. Keith Wood pips Sean Futz . . .

John Eales - Nobody's perfect. - A ledge indeed

Best inside centre I've ever seen play is Tim Horan. Best outside centre is by far and wide, Brian O'Driscoll.

All opinion of course. I tend to keep the pre and post-1995 era players apart however.

danthefan

Jones did play for NZ after 1995 I'm pretty sure.

SpAcEd OuT

twinytwo wrote: »

this makes him the highest test try scoring centre ever

Says it all really. Without doubt the greatest centre in world rugby ever. Greatest player ever? I think so, yes. He has reinvented the role of 13. Imagine the damage he could've done in a SH team!

Judgement Day

markonm wrote: »

Best I've seen in the last 20-30 years (in no order)

Michael Jones - Best open side ever, truly awesome.
David Campese - The most exciting
Sean Fitzpatrick - hardest and best captain
John Eales - Nobody's perfect
Dan Carter - 2nd test against Lions - as close to perfection as you'll get
Brian O'Driscoll - too many brilliant moments/games to mention.
Serge Blanco - Most naturally gifted attacker

Best of that lot? Impossible to tell.

What about Jonno? You never watch an England game?

OldJay

danthefan wrote: »

Jones did play for NZ after 1995 I'm pretty sure.

Wasn't first choice following the RWC. Thats when Kronfeld made the spot his own.

Ciaran-Irl

One day soon he will retire. Possibly after the world cup, but hopefully not. RTE will make a montage of his finest moments. I'll shed a tear. Without a doubt the greatest Irish player of all time.

Santa Claus

He's definitely hands down the best Irish player of the professional age, but hard to say if he's the best player ever.....what if Jack Kyle or Mike Gibson had been full time rugby players and had the coaching/scienctific aids that Drico has at his dosposal.

He's certainly among the top 5 centres in the world ever. I'd Say Philippe Sella would pip him for the number 1 spot but it would be between himself and Tim Horan for 2nd place at the moment with Guscott and maybe Umaga filling the other 2 spots.

I'd imagine it will be a long time before we see another Irish player as good as him, which is worrying seeing as he's prob only got 1 more world cup left in the tank !

toomevara

Justind wrote: »

All opinion of course. I tend to keep the pre and post-1995 era players apart however.

Know what you mean, but even then major caveats should apply. Many players in Oz, NZ and France were nothing more than 'shamateurs' at that point. One of the major reasons for the overwhelming supremacy of SH teams in the immediate aftermath of professionalism, was that their top players and unions were all but professional by then anyway. So again imo, comparisons don't hold.

The_Kew_Tour

imo the best player wear an irish shirt in my lifetime. Keith Wood extreme close second

OldJay

toomevara wrote: »

Know what you mean, but even then major caveats should apply

My main caveat is that I usually stay from Ali v Tyson debates.

ALH-06

NickNolte wrote: »

Nothing gave me greater pleasure than watching him silence his detractors.

They were as quick to hop back on the bandwagon as they were to write him off in the first place. But I'll never let them forget that they had once dismissed the Great One as 'past it'! Disgraceful carry on. The fickleness of rugby supporters in this country will always grate on me.

BOD is the best Irish rugby player of all time. His qualities are too numerous and obvious to list, but he more than any other in the history of Irish rugby has served as an inspiration to generations of players and sports fans. His influence over the last ten years has been absolutely fundamental in the development and current health of the professional game in this country. Where would Irish rugby be now had BOD never played the sport, I ask?

Future generations will remember this golden age of Irish rugby as 'The Brian O'Driscoll Era', no doubt about it!

crisco10

I am just dreading when he retires. I started going to Leinster/Ireland games about 1998. So BOD has pretty much always been playing in every big game I have been at. To consider an Ireland or Leinster team in a crunch match without him brings a tear to my eye! To say end of an era doesn't sum it up.

The_Kew_Tour

crisco10 wrote: »

I am just dreading when he retires. I started going to Leinster/Ireland games about 1998. So BOD has pretty much always been playing in every big game I have been at. To consider an Ireland or Leinster team in a crunch match without him brings a tear to my eye! To say end of an era doesn't sum it up.

My first game was Scotland in 1987 and for next 12 years saw Ireland through there worst years no real star players as such.

Have say that day against France in 2000 was day I will never forget the day irish rugby became alive again.

Yes he has brought rugby in this country to new level. I think its when a player is gone is when you realise how good this player really is.

little173

I agree, he is the greatest of all time. In his early days, he was so electric, quick, great hands and vision, in the time around 2000 with the hat trick and then the Lions Tour of 2001, he was at times unplayable for the opposition. He has dragged the Irish team to new levels and then you see him 8 years later on the Lions Tour and he is doing the same thing, creating space, bursts of power and step, off loads, the lot. His defensive abilities are well documented, he binds a whole team together.

As disccused, there have been irish greats of the past and undoubtedly Gibson and Kyle would be up there and did it in the amateur world. As for world backs, Horan, Guscott, Edwards, John, Sella, Blanco, Campese, Lomu, Cullen and Carter etc, etc all had a massive impact on the game. Lets not forget that the professional game has brought new levels of intensity and scrutiny, all the games on TV, churning out for Leinster and Ireland week after week, massive analysis from press and public. It is his standard of excellence over 10 years which above all makes him the greatest.

Hippo

I went to my first international match in 1969, and notwithstanding comparisons between the professional era and the amateur times, he is comfortably the best Irish player I've ever seen. My dad agreed, and he was watching rugby from the 1920s onwards!

Shan75

I think he is the best Irish rugby player ever, both in terms of skill, effectiveness and defensive organisation.He makes the players around him better than they are as could be clearly seen on the Lions tour with Jamie Roberts getting (deserved) plaudits that certainly would not have come his way had he not had BOD outside him.His eye for a break is second to none and the amount of work he gets through puts some others on greatest player lists to shame.

Best Irish player ever and one of the best ever in the world I'd say.Certainly if I was picking an all time World 15 he'd be the first name on my list.

skregs

Spore wrote: »

Sometimes when I watch him play I just expect time and space to rent apart in some cataclysmic moment of monumental transcendece in which the great BODness is taken back to that Nirvana of sporting excellence from whence he came...

Sometimes when you watch him play that happens.