A tale of 2 Brians
While Brian O’Driscoll cements his reputation as Ireland’s best rugby player in World Cup 2007, we are denied the opportunity to see what Brian Carney can bring to needy Irish team.
So Ireland are out of the world cup and a Nation questions how? why? and as ever who is to blame? Well first of all, Ireland did have the hardest group and even if they played well they would have found it very hard going. But nevertheless fingers will be pointed. The media blame Eddie, Eddie blames Peter Stringer (the only unforced change) and Brian O’ Driscoll blames the players.
I blame a host of characters as befits the drop in playing standard (if there were only one weak link the drop wouldn’t have been so drastic). Brian O’Driscoll is peerless in Irish rugby. I’m amazed how often I hear people say they don’t like him for his D4 persona, his aparanent eliteism, I even hear knockers saying “He’s no Paul O’ Connell”. Damn straight he’s no Paul O’Connell he’s in a different class altogether. Hearing BOD say the players didn’t put in the performance in an apologetic tone, confounded critics who said that he is not a leader. Quite frankly if I were him I would it found it difficult not to say “I was great, poor D’arce had a nightmare along with everyone from 4-8, 3, 10, 11 and 14″. but he didn’t. He stood with his team, shared the blame and took it on the chin.
The one thing I have learned from this World Cup is no matter the amount of trouble off the field, poor management, poor preparation and public/media contempt you can’t make O’Driscoll play badly. Not only did he play well he also kept his head. When the likes of Marcus Horan were teary eyed during Ireland’s Call BOD was stoney faced. When the whistle blew, only then did he leave out the emotion in a storm of big tackles (Poitrenaud), cleared rucks and line breaks.
So while we know more than ever that BOD is our best player, spare a thought for Brian Carney. Arguably our physically strongest and fastest back. If one man could have dealt with the over-training that the players seemed to suffer from it was him as he had the least number of games last year. He is undoubtedly a class act, he has performed at the highest level and yet wasn’t considered worthy of a team that had space for people who choked for 4 games in succession. If I were him I would be wondering why I ever switched to Rugby Union.
Sometimes being the best just isn’t enough.
Posted 01.10.07
October 1st, 2007 at 3:48 pm
HI there, Nicely worded I must say. Odd use of the word ‘knockers’ however.
I hope BOD gets to read it
October 17th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
[…] media are making out he’s superman. Maybe it’s nationally patriotism but I’d pick Brian O’ Driscoll or Brian Carney ahead of him (if I had to pick a player who’s name was Brian). Those two are guys who can […]
December 25th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Is Brian O Driscoll our best player or are we just not giving our best new talents the chances they need to perform at an international level.
Take the example of the six nation tournament. Personally I feel England and Scotland and France have used it as a build up for the world cup year in and year out (and rightly so). They experimented with new players year after year, tried new tactics (England even stopped playing their traditional hard game). On the otherhand Ireland and Wales have went out all guns blazing each year. Exciting to see undoubtedly - Ireland beating England on more than one ocassion, Wales getting a grand slam etc etc.
Dont get me wrong - I enjoyed all those matches.
It was right not to experiment with new players at the world cup. If players havnt even played at the top level internationally in the 6 Nations Cup then how can they perform in a World Cup. We need to use the 6 Nations to build a squad(not a fifteen but a solid 30 man squad). We need to give players like Carney, Young, Jackman and so on the experience they need to enable the Irish team to perform at the next World Cup.
If we dont experiment with different players and different game plans, lets face it the next world cup will lead to a similar outcome as World Cup 2007 (Hopefully without England doing so well tho:)). Sorry about the length…