Four tours, one captaincy, a series win and a lot of memorable moments in the red jersey. Brian O’Driscoll is well qualified to give his opinion on the British & Irish Lions.
At the end of the 2016 season, not many pundits and former players were predicting anything more than two Irish players in prospective Lions XVs.
Following victories over New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and Australia in the space of six months, Ireland’s stock rapidly rose. They are currently fourth in the world, finished second in the Six Nations and blooded a plethora of young talent.
England remain the team most rugby fans expect to make up much of Warren Gatland’s Lions squad this summer and senior Welsh players must fancy their chances of reuniting with their national team boss.
Irish players such as Conor Murray, Tadhg Furlong, Jamie Heaslip, Robbie Henshaw, Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Josh van der Flier and Devin Toner [among others] have put in super performances and are now a big part of the conversation for Gatland and his coaching staff.
O’Driscoll genuinely believes there are ‘plenty of Irish guys in the mix’. He tells us:
“You have to remember that if you are picking a team to go down and play the two-time world champions, you have to look at who has played against them recently and who has won against them recently. There’s only going to be one team from the four that can say they’ve done both.
“Granted, England didn’t play them this November and nor did Wales [they lost a series 3-0 to them in June] but within a seven-month period of playing them again, you want to know how to go and win and that will stand to some Irish guys when it comes to the 50/50 calls.”
When it comes to the captaincy call, O’Driscoll feels Best has done everything he can to give himself a great chance of the role.
“Rory has had a great year from an individual perspective and there is no better way to lead than your own performances.
“The way he has captains on the field, it is very clear and evident that he is in control of his emotions and he has built a good rapport with the referees. He has said the right thing at the right time and has put the squeeze on referees when needed, without trying to get players sin-binned or get referees to call things that they don’t see.
“He has struck a really good balance and I’ve been impressed with that. He has certainly done no harm from a Lions perspective – for a selection and, who knows, more than that.”
The Six Nations is usually the make or break benchmark for most Lions hopefuls but, having turned over the ABs, many Irish players will feel they have advanced their cause no end.
