It’s a sign he is doing his job right anyway.
Brian O’Driscoll had a lot of miles on the clock when he eventually retired in 2014 and he made no secret of the fact he wasn’t in any hurry to get back out on “The Paddock”, as they inexplicably sometimes call a rugby training field.
Leo Cullen retired at the same time as BOD and he is now Leinster head coach, for christ’s sake.
But O’Driscoll made it plain, he was happy to take a break from the direct business of rugby and decided to talk about it instead.
Understandably the well-spoken rugby icon has not been short of offers and has filled his time working for Newstalk, ITV and BT Sport, as well as writing for his own blog.
At last year’s Web Summit he admitted he still wasn’t ready for a move into coaching and he has been an enthusiastic commentator on this season’s Six Nations, unafraid to have his say on the winless start to Ireland’s defence.
When discussing Ireland’s shortcomings on Off the Ball last week, O’Driscoll laid the blame for Ireland’s measly three offloads in in two games at the feet of the players rather than coach Joe Schmidt.
“Now I don’t know, I wasn’t part of that conversation, but Joe’s philosophy is that it’s the right offload if it goes to hand. Sometimes, that can’t be the way, you’re going to lose a few offloads here and there but high risk, high reward and even risk, reward.
“I feel as though there is definitely scope to throw a few more.”
O’Driscoll’s theory was put to Ireland vice-captain Jamie Heaslip yesterday and the back-rower was brutally dismissive of his former Ireland and Leinster team-mate.
“I wouldn’t agree completely with Brian’s comment. But, he’s obviously entitled to his opinion. And as a pundit, he has to offer up an opinion and that was his.”
Ouch. BOD has entered the territory of Hook, Pope and Williams. He is now just another voice outside the playing group that the playing group swear blind they pay no attention to.
They can only control the controllables, they have no interest in what others are saying, they don’t even read the papers, they don’t listen to the radio, they don’t watch television. They’re in a bubble.
BOD’s out of the bubble.
