BRIAN O'DRISCOLL: IRISH COURAGE IN RUGBY

Brian O'Driscoll

Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. Registered at University College Dublin R.F.C., he played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. O'Driscoll was born in Dublin from a family steeped in rugby. His father, Frank, played two games for Ireland and an uncle, Barry, won four caps. 

O'Driscoll is the second most-capped player in rugby union history. He's the highest try scorer of all time in Irish Rugby, the 8th-highest try scorer in international rugby union history, and the highest scoring centre of all time.

He holds the Six Nations record for most tries scored with 26. He has scored the most Heineken Cup tries (30) for an Irishman. O'Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Six Nations Championships. He made his Ireland under-21 debut in February 1999, and eventually gained four caps.

In 1999, O'Driscoll was selected for the senior squad and was on the bench for a match against Italy, although he did not play. He won his first Test cap at age 20 on 12 June 1999 in a 46–10 loss to Australia in Brisbane as part of the tour of Australia. O'Driscoll played for Ireland before he played for the senior Leinster team.

In 2000, O'Driscoll scored a Hat-trick of tries in a Six Nations Championship victory against France in Paris, propelling Ireland to their first win in Paris since 1972. His popularity in Ireland was expressed by supporters wearing T-shirts bearing the motto In BOD We Trust.

In 2002, O'Driscoll was handed the captaincy for the first time in Ireland's 18–9 win over Australia, the first Irish victory over the Wallabies since 1979. In 2003, following the international retirement of long-time Ireland captain Keith Wood, O'Driscoll was awarded the captaincy on a permanent basis. In that year, he led Ireland to second place in the Six Nations Championship. This was followed by Triple Crowns in 2004, Ireland's first crown since 1985, 2006 and 2007. In 2004, O'Driscoll captained Ireland to a 17–12 victory over South Africa, the first Irish win over the Springboks since 1965.

More information: Brian O'Driscoll Official Website

In 2009, he was again selected as captain, leading Ireland to win the Triple Crown, Six Nations Championship and their first Grand Slam in 61 years. He scored a try in every match except one, culminating in a 17–15 victory in Cardiff in which he again scored a try and was the RBS man of the match. On 27 March 2009, he was named as player of the 2009 Six Nations Championship, winning the fans' online poll. In May 2009, he was named the Bord Gáis Energy IRUPA Players' Player of the Year for the past season.

In the 2011 Six Nations Championship, O'Driscoll's 47th minute try against England, took him past Ian Smith's 78-year-old record of 24 tries to become the leading Championship try scorer of all time with 25 Tries. The same day, he tied John Smit's International Captaincy caps record of 75.

In his last international match, the finale of the 2014 Six Nations Championship on 15 March 2014, he and the Irish team beat France in Paris for only the second time in 42 years, crowning Ireland the 2014 Six Nations Championship champions. In the post-match interview, an emotional O'Driscoll remarked he could not have wished to finish his career in a better way.

More information: Irish Rugby

 Team sports are very important for shaping personalities. 

It's important that kids understand the mentality behind playing team sports and playing for one another and playing with friends. 

Brian O'Driscoll