BRIAN O’DRISCOLL cast a forlorn figure in the immediate aftermath of Ireland’s last-gasp defeat to New Zealand in Christchurch.
Head clasped disbelievingly in hands, it appeared the centre’s brush with the ambition of a lifetime – to captain Ireland to an historic first victory over the All Blacks – had robbed him of his usually robust optimism.
Not so.
Speaking to journalists during his customary post-match press conference, the 33-year-old suggested defeat, even in the most heartbreaking of circumstances, can offer a template for future success:
“I think you have to [take the positives]. It’s difficult when it’s raw, 40 minutes after the final whistle. It’s difficult when you’ve fought your way back into the game – you’re level on the board, they’re a man down for the seven or eight minutes – to see all the positives, but I’m sure when we look back on the video, there’ll be plenty of them.”
Indeed, according to O’Driscoll, his side already has a worthy outlet for its frustration: next week’s third Test in Hamilton. With salutary lessons from each of the series’ first two fixtures well and truly learned, Declan Kidney’s men have an opportunity to end their season on a high.
“We’ve got one more go next week; it’s definitely a positive. We don’t have to finish our season [on a loss]. We’ve got to give ourselves an opportunity of going to Hamilton and doing what we’ve essentially failed at today.”
A close-fought affair decided, essentially, by the individual brilliance of New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter, Saturday’s second Test stands in stark contrast to the preceding week’s encounter, during which a rampant All Black line-up coasted to a 32-point victory.
Though Ireland failed to exact revenge, O’Driscoll believes his team managed to restore its competitive dignity:
“We set standards of ourselves and we’re trying to be a consistent team. We dipped below those standards last week, individually and collectively.
“The jersey deserved a little bit more from us and we talked about that this week. Trying to restore a bit of that (pride) in the jersey and I think we did manage to do that. We fell at the final hurdle still.”
Even though we lost we can still be proud of the team. They always put in a huge effort and do us proud. There’s no shame in going up against the All Blacks and losing cos our lads are professionals to the last minute. Unlike the football lot who look like they’re on a workman’s holiday over in Poland.
o driscoll basically admitted they let the jersey down last week so maybe they don’t always do us proud.they lost as per.another morale victory.they blew it when they had chance to make history.
Yeah but at least they admitted it. Most other teams (hint – football) try to make excuses for bad performance.
What was the score last week Laura!???
It’s a fact you can never accuse the Irish rugby team of not putting in the effort. Proud everytime they take to the field. On day or off day the effort is clearly evident. IRFU is leagues ahead of the FAI. It’s not perfect…just far better! I hope for the sake of the players that they can get the win next week. Series be damned, pride too. The performance is in this team. I want to see them take the scalp of scalps. If they lose it will not be for lack of trying.
@Mark I don’t understand how you can compare the FAI and IRFu .. On what level?
Certainly not on achievements!!?
The rugby team plays against the same 4 or 5 teams every year .. Then goes to a ‘world cup’ with only 12 real teams.. Should be called the colonial cup!… And they have yet to get passed the last 8!! Poor in comparrison to the achievements of the football team playing in 50 team European tournaments and 186 team world cups! And we have beaten world champions!!
@nigel yeah but when was the last time they actually won?? No point in saying they beat world champions if it was decades ago (which it was). The rugby team may only play a few different teams a year but that’s because there’s only a handful of teams out there it’s worth their time playing. Everyone has conveniently forgotten how long it’s been since the football team actually achieved anything. The rugby team got to the quarter finals of the world cup and Leinster have won the Heineken cup 3 times. Jealous much?
Laura , I’m not at all jealous of anything and I shout for both Ireland and Leinster, but we are talking about the national teams here so let me put you straight on a few things:
You ask when is the last time we won-We won 15 days ago v Bosnia. That was also the 13th game since we had lost a match! Oh and if you want to talk about mickey mouse tournaments like the 5 nations, we actually Won the home nations tournament last year when it took place. And finally, getting to the quarter final of the rugby world cup is not an achievement when it essentially means you only had to win 3 matches.. Against minor countries in the group to qualify for the quater finals And the rugby team don’t have to go through a gruelling qualifying campaign to get there like the football team has to as there are only 12 countries playing the sport professionally .. So I’m sorry but the football teams achievements far outway anythjng the national rugby team have done!!!
The triple crown is not something to be crowing about .. Try actually taking on the WHOLE of Europe and World! The fact the rugby team has never got to a WC semi final means they definitely haven’t achieved anything like te football team! Oh and Italy were the 2006 World Champions and we beat them in 2011!!!!!!!!!!!
Nigel – firstly I don’t need to be “set straight” on anything so please don’t be so patronizing as to think you are here to educate me. You’re not. Secondly, which score are you talking about – the first test match against New Zealand where we lost 42 – 10 (fair enough I’ll concede that one), or the football matches where we lost to Croatia 3-1 or to Spain 4-0? If you’re going to ask me questions like that please be more specific.
As regards those “minor teams” we played in the world cup, I wouldn’t exactly call Australia a minor team. And didn’t the football team fail to even qualify for the last world cup? Or the one before that? And winning against Bosnia is great, in a friendly, well done to them but that’s not much good if they can’t win in a tournament. As for not going through grueling qualifying rounds, I’d beg to differ. Just because there aren’t as many matches for the rugby tournaments doesn’t mean they’re any less challenging. In fact, rugby players play much harder in a game that’s much tougher than football. If the football players get tackled they’re on the ground for what seems like forever playing for time. Rugby players suffer blood injuries and worse and are up within seconds and are back playing. There’s a reason they say that football is 90 minutes of pretending you’re injured while rugby is 80 minutes of pretending you’re not (if you want evidence of this you’ll find plenty on youtube)
Finally, I said nothing about the triple crown but yeah it is something to be proud of. Sorry we didn’t take on the WHOLE world to get it though. You can criticize the rugby team as much as you like but the fact of the matter is Ireland have only qualified for the football world cup twice since the 60s, not exactly something to shout about now is it? But then again they did have to take on the whole world…..
Caught the All blacks on the hop, can’t see it happening twice in a row. Still, how close were they??
i don’t think you could sound more up yourself.
What? For having a bit of pride? Heaven forbid!!!
with the dedication and heart that man has given the national team over the last decade I think he’s earned the right to sound what ever way he likes about it.
At the end of the day the record books will show another defeat.
107 years and counting unable to beat the best team of only 12 in the world even once!!
Laura, it seems I do have to continue to educate you as your comments continue to be factually incorrect.
Ireland qualified for the World Cup 3 times In fact. 1990 we got to the quarter finals,1994 the 2nd round and in 2002 we got to the 2nd round!
Again, I support the Ireland rugby team but it’s comments from
People like you that really annoy me as they are completely out of perspective! Ireland beat Australia at the last world cup which was great! But that’s been about it. The 2nd round in the RWC is the qtr-final also and the football team has made it futhter on that basis!
I didn’t have a go at the commitment of players on the rugby side, but it’s only minority of football players who feign injury and shame on them. Have a look at Richard dunne in the game against Russia last year and then come back to me! Paul McGrath playing with practically one shoulder yet was man of match in WC 1994 v Italy!
Finally , the game v Bosnia was not a tournament game, true, but neither was the game v NZ ghat we lost and that you are crowing about! Lets leave the double standards out
Burn