Brian O’Driscoll hopes to rectify Ireland’s disappointing Six Nations return

Brian O’Driscoll’s career has spanned the

Six Nations

ever since the world’s oldest tournament assumed its current incarnation in 2000. Such has been the great one’s durability that he has played in four or five matches bar the 2012 season, after undergoing shoulder surgery, yet he admitted yesterday that a return of only one title is a disappointment which he’d love to rectify.

He’ll always have the 2009 Grand Slam, but that remains Ireland’s sole title in the last 29 years. “I would say it’s disappointing considering the calibre of players, the number of seconds we got,” conceded O’Driscoll, in reference to six runners-up finishes in 2001, ‘03, ‘04, ‘06, ‘07 and ‘10.

"Looking back now, the last play of the Championship in '07 where France were playing Scotland, the whole Championship was called by a TMO on a decision that could have gone either way, which shows how close these things are."

Ireland went into the last day in '07 trailing France on points difference (+38 to +42) and beat Italy 51-24 in the Stadio Flaminio, unfortunately conceding a converted 89th-minute try to Roland de Marigny off a turnover with the last play when pushing for a ninth try.

France subsequently needed to beat Scotland by 24 points in Paris, and a 79th-minute try by Euan Murray left les bleus four points short. French sub Elvis Vermeulen was driven over the line in the 85th minute.

Irish TMO
The Irish TMO Simon McDowell could justifiably have said there was no clear evidence of the ball being grounded, which there wasn't, although admittedly it would have helped if he'd left the car engine running.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been second a lot of times,” added O’Driscoll. “I think it is fair to say that out of 14 seasons to have only won one Championship is a bit of a disappointment. But, there are always possibilities when you’re walking into another one”.

Confirming that this will definitely be his last Six Nations – "it's nice knowing that I can empty the tank knowing this is my last one" – and that despite the country clucking over his form like mother hens, he vows he is in good nick, there was also the prospect of having a last tilt at the title with Joe Schmidt at the helm. "I didn't want to miss out on the potential I felt he would bring, for sure."

His rationale for facing the media yesterday was to avoid attempts to make the Welsh game a grudge match between him and Warren Gatland. "I know you guys are trying to get quotes for next week but I'm not involved in any squad for next week yet," he said. "I have no ill-will towards Warren. In the rawness of the moment you do feel emotional, but time does heel. I don't have any animosity toward Warren."

Different things
All four of his coaches brought different things. "I'd say Warren is a vastly superior coach now than he was back when I was originally capped in '99 and I would like to think I am a considerably better player than I was back in '99 as well; a lot more knowledgeable about the game, understand the ins and outs of the game a lot more, tactically way more astute. Maybe not as much gas, but you can't have it all."

Eddie O’Sullivan was “a great coach” who “did wonders for us. He has three Triple Crowns and I am flabbergasted that he hasn’t been picked up on another coaching ticket since the World Cup in ‘07 other than the American job.”

Despite having "ups and downs" with Declan Kidney, "he did bring us the holy grail of a Grand Slam, which we've got to be hugely thankful for," adding that Kidney's record "speaks for itself."

In the twilight of his illustrious career, for O’Driscoll it’s all about the silverware. Significantly he wouldn’t take another Triple Crown now if offered, with his eyes on first prize in the Six Nations. “It (Six Nations) is different to everything else because there is silverware to be won. There is silverware between two teams when we play New Zealand but I couldn’t tell you the name of it. But the Six Nations has been around a long time, and it is definitely a competition that is very hard to win.

“There have been question marks about the atmosphere in the Aviva but yet the atmosphere for the New Zealand game is now the benchmark. There is an onus on us but also on the crowd as well to generate that. If we can play well and get them behind us we can make the Aviva a difficult place to play.”

One last time into the breach then.