Interview with the 'real' captain of the Lions

[deco]

RUGBY: ALTHOUGH RESIGNED to missing the end of a losing Lions series once again, Brian O’Driscoll admits this has been the most enjoyable Lions tour of the three he has been on. The Ireland captain also didn’t rule out the possibility of returning with the Lions to Australia in four years’ time and prior to his homeward flight this morning, he described the controversial comments of Springboks’ coach Pieter de Villiers regarding Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald as disgraceful and despicable.

“It’s really disappointing,” O’Driscoll told The Irish Times last night after the concussion he sustained in the Lions’ 28-25 defeat to South Africa in Loftus Versfeld last Saturday ruled him out of next Saturday’s third and final Test in Johannesburg.

“And the weird thing is that I look at a third Test that doesn’t mean anything from a series point of view, but it means everything from the point of view of still playing for the Lions because I never saw myself still playing for another four years. So I always felt that this would be my last Lions’ tour but at the same time you see Simon Shaw and think: ‘Well, there’s hope’. I don’t know, maybe I’ve been a little bit tainted by a little bit of success this year.”

O’Driscoll was aware this would have been his 100th Test match, counting the six he has played for the Lions along with his 93 Ireland caps, which instead will hopefully come next November.

As things stand, that would be when leading Ireland out against Australia at Croke Park on Sunday, November 15th, while there has also been talk of an additional fixture against South Africa (whom they play on the 28th in Croke Park) in Hong Kong, which would be unusual to say the least. But now he has the target of reaching a century of Tests for Ireland next season.

“I am aware. It’s disappointing but at the same time, in a way, it would have been fantastic knowing you were playing 100 having something to play for. It’ll revert back to playing 100 Tests for Ireland, hopefully.”

In relaxed and good form, O’Driscoll also felt compelled to respond to the comments by de Villiers in which he said gouging was part of the game and refused to condemn Burger’s gouging of Fitzgerald last Saturday, even though the Springbok coach issued an apology on Monday evening.

“When I heard those comments yesterday I wondered how someone can get away with something like that. Irrespective of any apology today I find it an absolute disgrace that a coach of a national team can make comments as he did about gouging being part of the game.

“Someone made a really good point to me that kids, or parents watching an interview like that, questioning whether they should have their kid play rugby or soccer, that’s their decision made right there. To hear a national coach saying in any shape or form, gouging is acceptable in the modern day game is despicable. I find that mind-boggling, that you can have a national team coach saying something like that. Essentially it brought the game into disrepute.”

This will go down as O’Driscoll’s best season. He adopted a new training regime, trimmed himself down by a stone and conscious that he would be turning 30 last January, he returned for the start of his 12th season with renewed vigour. He captained Ireland to their first Grand Slam in 61 years, helped inspire Leinster to their first Heineken Cup, was joint leading try scorer and player of the tournament in the Six Nations, leading try scorer in the Heineken Cup and IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year. Yet it ends with a third losing Lions’ series.

“That’s the thing. What I hate is that essentially that’s the last chapter which will prey on your holidays a little bit. That’s the taste that’s left in your mouth; it’s defeat in a series with the Lions, having won the Slam and the Heineken Cup.

“It’s disappointing to think that you win those two in a year that you lose a Lions’ series. In another year you’d be on a complete high throughout the whole summer, whereas now you’re left with the feeling that I’ve been involved in three Lions’ tours and I’ve lost the three of them. That’s not the way this year I saw it ending up after the first two Tests.”

O’Driscoll always said this tour was about winning, but now that it’s over, he appreciates that this was the most enjoyable of the three Lions’ tour he’s been on. Along with Adam Jones, he was due on the first flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow this morning, both for medical and personal reasons.

“I’ve learned an awful lot from four years ago about not staying around after your tour has finished. I stayed for a fortnight and I look back and that was not my smartest move. If I’m not going to be on the training pitch at least trying to help the team win the third Test, there’s no need for me to be hanging around.”

[Turnip Boy]

And one of the reasons he wasn't the "real" capt was that as soon as made any negative comments about the Boks was that they would retort with something along the lines of - oh christ not that whinging Irish baby again - is he he still on about the dump tackle - will he ever shut the f%~k up.

[olaf the fat]

And one of the reasons he wasn't the "real" capt was that as soon as made any negative comments about the Boks was that they would retort with something along the lines of - oh christ not that whinging Irish baby again - is he he still on about the dump tackle - will he ever shut the f%~k up.

Come on TB, you know the only reason you posted that was because of title of this thread

[Oldschool]

And one of the reasons he wasn't the "real" capt was that as soon as made any negative comments about the Boks was that they would retort with something along the lines of - oh christ not that whinging Irish baby again - is he he still on about the dump tackle - will he ever shut the f%~k up.

I hope he never does.
That 'tackle' went unpunished, which is the most negative thing about the whole incident.
If he'd been left paralysed as a result, what then?
So keep on WHINEING and WHINGING BOD - Rugby needs your bravery.
Don't left the f^ckers ever forget.
It should be a stain on their careers.
It should be something they get asked about at every interview they ever do.
DON'T LET THEM AWAY WITH IT.

[Turnip Boy]

And one of the reasons he wasn't the "real" capt was that as soon as made any negative comments about the Boks was that they would retort with something along the lines of - oh christ not that whinging Irish baby again - is he he still on about the dump tackle - will he ever shut the f%~k up.

Come on TB, you know the only reason you posted that was because of title of this thread

If BOD was made capt then the comparisions to 2005, the spear tackle and given the incidents that have taken place in the second test in particular would have been all over the press/media. Comparisons between 2005 and the terrible handling of the incident would have been brought back up all too often and the lions and BOD would have been portrayed as whingers.

[Turnip Boy]

So keep on WHINEING and WHINGING BOD - Rugby needs your bravery..

quality!!!!!!

perhaps Rugby also needs the anylsis of Stephen Jones, the unbiased opinion of Jerry Guscott and prima donna antics of Danny Cipriani.

[janeymac08]

RUGBY: ALTHOUGH RESIGNED to missing the end of a losing Lions series once again, Brian O’Driscoll admits this has been the most enjoyable Lions tour of the three he has been on. The Ireland captain also didn’t rule out the possibility of returning with the Lions to Australia in four years’ time and prior to his homeward flight this morning, he described the controversial comments of Springboks’ coach Pieter de Villiers regarding Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald as disgraceful and despicable.

So, deco, is the 'real'' captain now abandoning the sinking ship? Surprising he didn't hang around to support his troops for the remaining few days close to medical attention for his concussion and (bearing in mind the effect he has on all his team mates).

The British media will love it. The Lions management will love it. Speaking out as he has is certainly going to make things a bit rough for Ireland come the Autumn AIs. They sure as hell are going to be determined to beat us now.

[thecoolfreak]

RUGBY: ALTHOUGH RESIGNED to missing the end of a losing Lions series once again, Brian O’Driscoll admits this has been the most enjoyable Lions tour of the three he has been on. The Ireland captain also didn’t rule out the possibility of returning with the Lions to Australia in four years’ time and prior to his homeward flight this morning, he described the controversial comments of Springboks’ coach Pieter de Villiers regarding Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald as disgraceful and despicable.

So, deco, is the 'real'' captain now abandoning the sinking ship? Surprising he didn't hang around to support his troops for the remaining few days close to medical attention for his concussion and (bearing in mind the effect he has on all his team mates).

The British media will love it. The Lions management will love it. Speaking out as he has is certainly going to make things a bit rough for Ireland come the Autumn AIs. They sure as hell are going to be determined to beat us now.

And we're going to be determined to beat them. Why should he keep his mouth closed? People go on about how refreshing it is that the likes of O'Gara speaks his mind. So what is wrong with O'Driscoll doing likewise. He's really setting up a massive game against the Boks. Can't wait.

[Hippo]

Yep, it's hard to imagine the Saffer team being any keener to beat us or more violent than usual!

[tones]

RUGBY: ALTHOUGH RESIGNED to missing the end of a losing Lions series once again, Brian O’Driscoll admits this has been the most enjoyable Lions tour of the three he has been on. The Ireland captain also didn’t rule out the possibility of returning with the Lions to Australia in four years’ time and prior to his homeward flight this morning, he described the controversial comments of Springboks’ coach Pieter de Villiers regarding Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald as disgraceful and despicable.

So, deco, is the 'real'' captain now abandoning the sinking ship? Surprising he didn't hang around to support his troops for the remaining few days close to medical attention for his concussion and (bearing in mind the effect he has on all his team mates).

The British media will love it. The Lions management will love it. Speaking out as he has is certainly going to make things a bit rough for Ireland come the Autumn AIs. They sure as hell are going to be determined to beat us now.

And we're going to be determined to beat them. Why should he keep his mouth closed? People go on about how refreshing it is that the likes of O'Gara speaks his mind. So what is wrong with O'Driscoll doing likewise. He's really setting up a massive game against the Boks. Can't wait.

Difference being BOD walks the walk...
Back to the original point, heaven forbid those comments from PDV annoy players to the extent they protect a young pro.

[Turnip Boy]

“Someone made a really good point to me that kids, or parents watching an interview like that, questioning whether they should have their kid play rugby or soccer, that’s their decision made right there. To hear a national coach saying in any shape or form, gouging is acceptable in the modern day game is despicable. I find that mind-boggling, that you can have a national team coach saying something like that. Essentially it brought the game into disrepute.”

[LeRouxIsPHat]

So are we all agreed that McGeechans biggest mistake of the tour was to not bring Alastair Campbell?

[the spoofer]

“Someone made a really good point to me that kids, or parents watching an interview like that, questioning whether they should have their kid play rugby or soccer, that’s their decision made right there. To hear a national coach saying in any shape or form, gouging is acceptable in the modern day game is despicable. I find that mind-boggling, that you can have a national team coach saying something like that. Essentially it brought the game into disrepute.”

Funny thing is, I was at a GAA match on Monday and the mother of one of the lads who I coach in Rugby was commenting on how violent rugby is.

He has played for me for two years without injury but has broken a wrist playing soccer and a leg playing gaelic.

O'Driscoll is spot on. Violent play and especially the despicable act of gouging by top level professionals such as Burger, Quinlan and Parisses impacts greatly on the ability to attract young kids into the sport.

[tones]

Funny thing is, I was at a GAA match on Monday and the mother of one of the lads who I coach in Rugby was commenting on how violent rugby is.

He has played for me for two years without injury but has broken a wrist playing soccer and a leg playing gaelic.

O'Driscoll is spot on. Violent play and especially the despicable act of gouging by top level professionals such as Burger, Quinlan and Parisses impacts greatly on the ability to attract young kids into the sport.[/quote]

Yeah pretty much. Its the basic reason why there has been so much reaction to PDV's comments. Turnip Boy (being a turnip) is just fishing.

[olaf the fat]

The munster lads would agree with it- if only the title was different.

Kids may see gouging in high level matches and think if its good enough for some of their heros its good enough for them. PDV came out with really stupid comments, everybody knows that. So they either have a problem with O'Driscoll saying it or agree with PDV

[sarah_lennon]

Sh!t slinging moved
http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13188

[janeymac08]

So, deco, is the 'real'' captain now abandoning the sinking ship? Surprising he didn't hang around to support his troops for the remaining few days close to medical attention for his concussion and (bearing in mind the effect he has on all his team mates).

The British media will love it. The Lions management will love it. Speaking out as he has is certainly going to make things a bit rough for Ireland come the Autumn AIs. They sure as hell are going to be determined to beat us now.

And we're going to be determined to beat them. Why should he keep his mouth closed? People go on about how refreshing it is that the likes of O'Gara speaks his mind. So what is wrong with O'Driscoll doing likewise. He's really setting up a massive game against the Boks. Can't wait.

O'Gara gets a fair bit of flack for speaking his mind (certainly around here anyway). O'Gara is usually criticising Munster/Ireland for not stepping up to the mark, not criticising other clubs or countries. He talked up the Ireland/Magners/Munster as being as good as anyone else and he was crucified by the British media.

With regard to O'Driscoll - he is no angel (and one of the reasons why I like and admire him as a player as well).

[tones]

O'Gara gets a fair bit of flack for speaking his mind (certainly around here anyway). O'Gara is usually criticising Munster/Ireland for not stepping up to the mark, not criticising other clubs or countries. He talked up the Ireland/Magners/Munster as being as good as anyone else and he was crucified by the British media.

With regard to O'Driscoll - he is no angel (and one of the reasons why I like and admire him as a player as well).

Walk the walk after talking the talk being the reason there I'd wager. Of course he got criticsed, and player would thats their nature.
Gonna ignore all your other posts, the perma-tan one alleged alot of things in his book, his teasm-mates weren't exactly pleased by it, but BOD's point was a manager defending what happened as oppsed ot a player in the heat of the moment doing soemthing like this e.g. the Leinster players kept quiet about Quinnie didn't they? Or are you gonna log in here again to criticse that course of action????

[red49]

thread title is OBVIOUSLY intended to wind up any munster supporters looking at site,as for content and bods comments they are very welcome and in my opinion were well orchestrated with the lions management and the REAL REAL captain POC.bods status as a senior player is well recognised and while leaving the tour his comments will bring plenty attention to the gouging incident.Personally i dont think he would have made the same comments if he was still within the touring party.BOD has already stated it has been the best of the 3 lions tours he has been on,maybe there is a hint there for the original poster as to how POC has carried out his role as Captain.

[deco]

Ian McGeechan's sons girlfriends aunty's second cousin is my best friend - and he told me that on the basis of the rugby he saw in May, his choice for captain would've been different, had he waited those few weeks.

FACT.