Brian O'Driscoll to return home

[id@53]

Planet Rugby are reporting that the

Injured duo Brian O'Driscoll and Adam Jones have been forced to return home, the British and Irish Lions management have announced.

More to follow...

http://www.planetrugby.com/lions-09/sto ... 93,00.html

[LCD_Blue]

great he needs a break from rugby hope we allow him time to prepare for next year. any chance we can save all are players from playing this dead rubber which i think will be rough as the lions have nothing to loose!!

[ceemec]

Terrible shame. His Lions career, where he first announced himself really on the world stage, is now over and in such an undeserving manner too. The last game has just lost a serious chunk of appeal to me.

[Slipper1]

It seems strange to be sending him home at this stage of the tour if he only had concussion. It's not as if they will save any cash by doing so. Players are really only sent home to receive medical treatment with their clubs or specialists, so I hope that there is nothing more sinister in his condition that hasn't been announced.

[thecoolfreak]

It seems strange to be sending him home at this stage of the tour if he only had concussion. It's not as if they will save any cash by doing so. Players are really only sent home to receive medical treatment with their clubs or specialists, so I hope that there is nothing more sinister in his condition that hasn't been announced.

Thats what I was thinking. Adam Jones has been sent home to start his rehab, but what is the point in sending BOD home.

[thecoolfreak]

Sounds like he just wants to get home:

The 30-year-old had added six Lions caps to his 93 appearances for Ireland before his 2009 Lions tour suffered the same fate as his second tour four years ago when a shoulder injury ended his participation just minutes into the first Test against the All Blacks.

“Being a part of the 2009 British & Irish Lions squad has been one of the highlights of my career,” said O’Driscoll, who made his Lions debut in Australia in 2001 and skippered the tour party in New Zealand in 2005.

”We were unbeaten leading into the Test matches and it is a shame that the results in the Tests did not go our way but sport comes down to fine margins at times. We could easily have won the first two Tests but it wasn’t to be.

”I have decided to return home to my family this week after a very long season and to ensure I give myself every opportunity to recuperate.”

Jones, who started Saturday’s second Test having been a second-half replacement in the first, dislocated his right shoulder shortly after half-time in Pretoria.

He received hospital treatment in order to have the shoulder put back into place and will now join O’Driscoll in returning home for further specialist opinion and treatment.

“It is always disappointing to be ruled out of a Test series through injury but I am proud of what the squad and I have achieved on the tour,” said Jones.

”Personally, I will always remember playing in the two first Tests and especially running on for my debut in the starting XV at Loftus Versfeld. My heart will be with the boys on Saturday.”

[sarah_lennon]

http://www.skysports.com/lions-09/story ... 33,00.html

I have decided to return home to my family this week after a very long season and to ensure I give myself every opportunity to recouperate

[T.C.B.]

Don't blame him for wanting to go home. I'm sure he's physically and emotionally exhausted after this season. It has been a long but extremely memorable one for him. I don't blame him for wanting to get back to his family, his mates and of course, his fiance.

[waterboy]

Glad to hear it's nothing more serious. I'm sure if the series was still winable he'd have stayed out to support the team but with it being a dead rubber may as well begin the r&r at home with the family after a long hard season.

Means he'll now win his 100th cap in an Irish jersey now though

[tate]

slightly confused by this decision. Fact is there is still a tour going on, and he's walking out on it. Even if he didnt want to play i think he should have stayed on the extra week. But obviously it's his decision and if it means he comes back next season as well as he did this year then im all for it

[munster#1]

i feel realy sorry for BOD he deserved to finish the tour especially after the last 1. as most people have said i'll be happy if he is ok for next season, after all this is only the lions and it would be awful to be without him because of it. get well soon.

[Leinsterman]

slightly confused by this decision. Fact is there is still a tour going on, and he's walking out on it. Even if he didnt want to play i think he should have stayed on the extra week. But obviously it's his decision and if it means he comes back next season as well as he did this year then im all for it

He's probably the type who doesn't want to distract the other players in their preparation for the final test. Nothing worse than an injured player moping around the rest of the team.
He can concentrate on his rehab and put his feet up for a few weeks. He owes the Lions nothing.

[lunsterfreezone]

It seems strange to be sending him home at this stage of the tour if he only had concussion. It's not as if they will save any cash by doing so. Players are really only sent home to receive medical treatment with their clubs or specialists, so I hope that there is nothing more sinister in his condition that hasn't been announced.

In fairness, I think a concussion is a pretty serious thing, and God knows he's had more than his fair share of them! I'd say the decision to go home was partly his own, its been a long season and its not like his hanging around injured did much to aid the Lions in 05. I think its a mature decision to leave the players who are fit for Saterday to bond amongst themselves and get ready on their own terms. His presence on the field will be sorely missed nonetheless, this was probably the best season of his life.

[hugonaut]

Drico would have been targeted to kingdom come by the Boks in the last test match if he'd been available. I have no beef at all with him going home, he's played through knock after knock towards the end of this season and must be absolutely shattered. He gave his all to the Lions and – in my highly biased opinion – was the most valuable player on the squad. When he played, the Lions played well.

Jamie Roberts has a bloody good shout as well - he was a line breaking phenomenon, but when you add in O'Driscoll's defence, kicking, attitude and leadership, I'd say his contribution has been more significant.

[Isaac4leinster]

I understood that if you are diagnosed with concussion there is an IRB diktat that says you automatically miss your next game? On this tour the papers keep on saying that they have to be given green light by neuro-surgeon.

While I'd say he's very dissappointed I'm sure getting a much needed rest before preseason would be pretty big silver lining.

[IanD]

slightly confused by this decision. Fact is there is still a tour going on, and he's walking out on it.

My understanding is that after a concussion you have to be rested for 3 weeks. If that is correct he is hardly walking out.

[IanD]

Concussion
IRB Regulation 10 provides as follows: 10.1.1 A Player who has suffered concussion shall not participate in any Match or training session for a minimum period of three weeks from the time of injury, and may then only do so when symptom free and declared fit after proper medical examination. Such declaration must be recorded in a written report prepared by the person who carried out the medical examination of the player.


Details from here

http://www.irbrugbyready.com/irbrr/en/injury8.jsp

[tackle-bag]

Terrible shame. His Lions career, where he first announced himself really on the world stage, is now over and in such an undeserving manner too. The last game has just lost a serious chunk of appeal to me.

I think the old hat-trick against France might have something to say about that, but I see your point nonetheless.

[Oscar]

slightly confused by this decision. Fact is there is still a tour going on, and he's walking out on it. Even if he didnt want to play i think he should have stayed on the extra week. But obviously it's his decision and if it means he comes back next season as well as he did this year then im all for it

He's probably the type who doesn't want to distract the other players in their preparation for the final test. Nothing worse than an injured player moping around the rest of the team.
He can concentrate on his rehab and put his feet up for a few weeks. He owes the Lions nothing.

4 years ago he stuck around after being injured out in the first test, and a lot of people seemed to think that was a mistake as he was a distraction to the players, media and supporters following the tour.

[mikey]

slightly confused by this decision. Fact is there is still a tour going on, and he's walking out on it. Even if he didnt want to play i think he should have stayed on the extra week. But obviously it's his decision and if it means he comes back next season as well as he did this year then im all for it

He's probably the type who doesn't want to distract the other players in their preparation for the final test. Nothing worse than an injured player moping around the rest of the team.
He can concentrate on his rehab and put his feet up for a few weeks. He owes the Lions nothing.

4 years ago he stuck around after being injured out in the first test, and a lot of people seemed to think that was a mistake as he was a distraction to the players, media and supporters following the tour.

The fella cant do right for doing wrong - should I stay or should I go now??!......I for am sorry he's not playing but in the same breath happy that he wont feature in what is just bound to be a very rough game - The Lions playing for pride and the Boks just out to smash them - it is not going to be pretty and BOD was bound to be singled out.