Explain the O'Driscoll bumslide

Almaviva · 19-10-2011 7:11pm #1

A great and unique player in many ways, not least in his touchdown method of choice when safe from the interference of any defenders. Most just touch the ball down as they jog over the line, some keep it in hand, others leave it on the ground. Some use two hands, some one. Some dive to be sure they get there, or just for show.

But BOD does this :

sliding, legs first, twisting sideways, touching the ball down under a crooked arm.

I know BOD moves in mysterious ways. If he does something, even if we dont understand it, it has a purpose and is for the good. But can anyone explain the reason for this unorthodox method?

CatFromHue · 19-10-2011 7:22pm

Prob the best way to see is to go out to your garden run along and then dive on the ground with your chest landing first.

It can be a bit sore!

Plus sometimes people drop the ball when putting it down just with their hands

[Jackass] · 19-10-2011 7:24pm

Ha! Never really thought about it, but probably just out of habbit, going in over the line, getting low and protecting the ball with his body / stop from being held up, but a dive / slide over the line is a safer way of touching down than bending over imo. (that didn't sound as strange in my head...)

thomond2006 · 19-10-2011 7:24pm

Something to do with protecting his shoulders from an impact? That's what I always thought it was for?

Edit: Jackass has a point there about a safer touchdown.

wixfjord · 19-10-2011 7:25pm

I've always presumed it was to save his shoulder and prevent injuries.

None of your Asthon or Earls messing for good old BOD!

Damokc · 19-10-2011 7:27pm

Ya and considering his dodge shoulder diving on a ball may not help it. However I can recall BOD doing this while a player tackling him going over the line in a game and of course.....Hook lost the head saying it was dangerous and he could drop the ball and knock it on in doing this type of touch down. Does anyone remember that match?

Dave0301 · 19-10-2011 7:28pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1914XF8afo

Possible reason?

Damokc · 19-10-2011 7:34pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx-9BAGWINM

may as well post this.thinks its in here he does it against England with a player coming in close to him.think thats the one Hook gave out about:rolleyes:

CatFromHue · 19-10-2011 7:38pm

maybe he has a more basic need to slide his bum on the ground

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t_8pfbCH-4

matthew8 · 19-10-2011 8:01pm

It's the same way I touch the ball down. The way I see it, it's far less painful to land on your legs without jumping than on your chest after jumping and you don't want to drop it by stretching your arms down to touch it down.

n32 · 19-10-2011 8:07pm

he said it in an interview a few years back that when he was having hamstring trouble he found that his trademark slide was easier on the hamstrings than launching himself through the air risking a strain or pull.

Wishful Thinking · 19-10-2011 8:20pm

Damokc wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx-9BAGWINM
may as well post this.thinks its in here he does it against England with a player coming in close to him.think thats the one Hook gave out about:rolleyes:

Wow. It's easy to forget sometimes just how good he is. Best Irish sportsman of all time

phog · 20-10-2011 6:19am

Could he trying to avoid this?

Joe10000 · 20-10-2011 6:28am

I think it's just a safe way of grounding the ball.

hardCopy · 20-10-2011 6:36am

Didn't he get fined by Leinster, years ago, for diving over the line? I think it was because they said he was risking injury.

GerM · 20-10-2011 8:07am

I would have thought it's down mostly to protecting both himself and the ball. It has become more prevalent in his game since the shoulder dislocation but he was doing it before that. The first time I recall him doing it was the 6N before that Lions tour when Murphy put him in out wide and he ran around under the posts before grounding the ball on his back. At this stage it's probably more comfortable for him to ground the ball like that and there's less impact on an ageing body.