BOD marks Irish progress
Although beating the world champions was significant, Brian O’Driscoll says the true test of quality lies in beating teams on southern hemisphere soil.
Saturday’s victory marked a dream end to 2009 for Ireland, who’ve captured the Six Nations title and boast a record of nine wins and one draw in 10 Tests. O’Driscoll was visibly pleased with his side’s effort at Croke Park, but was quick to call for calm. He pointed to the beating of the Boks as an important to step towards realising Ireland’s own World Cup ambitions.
‘We were in a pretty dark place last year, and we’ve done well to turn things around so quickly,’ the Ireland captain told keo.co.za. ‘It’s a credit to everyone, and I think it comes down to the work ethic.
‘We’ve had a great calendar year, but this was a one-off game. What it has done is renewed our focus on lasting the 80 minutes. I’m glad to come out on the right side of a result. The last three times we’ve been good enough to win in Dublin. Now the pressure’s on us to go down there [to South Africa] and pick up a scalp.’
Declan Kidney was named IRB Coach of the Year on Saturday for his part in turning this team around. He also didn’t go overboard with Saturday’s win, but said the battle had been hugely beneficial to Ireland’s cause.
‘There’s no such thing as a perfect year, there are only moments of perfection,’ Kidney said. ‘What we’ve done is built some confidence, and I’ll tell my players to enjoy this night.
‘It was a tough physical game. We’d like to play against the Tri-Nations teams more as we learn so many things about ourselves and the opposition.’
O’Driscoll commended 24-year-old Jonny Sexton who kicked all of Ireland’s points to win the match. The Leinster flyhalf has played only two Tests and is keeping Ronan O’Gara out of the starting line-up. O’Driscoll said the goal is to develop that sort of depth from Nos 1 to 15.
‘Sexo was solid in the way he kept the scoreboard ticking, and he also controlled the game very well. We’re in a fantastic position to have two quality 10s pushing each other to perform, and the challenge now is to ensure we have that competition in every position.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Dublin
November 28th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
you know I was on twitter… saw that and sat there for about 3 minutes trying to figure out who BOD was
November 28th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Well done to Kidney for coach of the year. At least it went to somebody who deserved it!
November 28th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
@WP_: ouch
November 28th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
3 Sarah
The truth hurts for some.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
@WP_: I watched the Ugly Truth today
November 28th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Yup you did indeed. It was blatantly there for all to see
November 28th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Declan Kidney’s got the silliest name since Ebbo *******.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Has BOD been given the top prize yet?
C’mon hand it over…….bit more polish on that side please
November 28th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Must be Fourie du Preez! Nobody else is in the frame.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Ok I’m Irish and not unbiased but……F@£$ me.. Richie McCaw has picked up the IRB Player of the year?
Should I laugh or cry?
He was nowhere in the running and should not have even been shortlisted.
(Brussow owned him for a start)
November 29th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I agree red danger, is should have been FdP. bY a country mile
November 29th, 2009 at 1:11 am
@Flametop:
Brussow did not own him.
Brussow was in a South African team that was continuely on the front foot against the ABs. Most the South Africans looked better than any of the Kiwis this year but,you cant pick a player of the year on 3 games. McCaw has played and captained really will this year. BOD is a filthy player,always first player on the scene for a bit of push and shove and hair pulling. Crys when things are not going his way,you can just about see him holding back the tears. BOD is a very good player but Conrad Smith ran rings around him last time NZ and Ireland faced off.
November 29th, 2009 at 1:50 am
@Hurricane: even though mccaw didnt diserve the award i’m so happy tht BOD didnt get it
!!!!1
fourie du preez is my irb player of the year
November 29th, 2009 at 1:52 am
@Hurricane:
Hurricane, maybe Conrad Smith was playing for the better team too. Don’t be too biased now.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:51 am
@mbaxman93:
Agree
@phalanx:
lol
Now dont try and turn it around on me.
To me its diffrent to say a flanker outplayed another one. Its hard as a forward to compete one on one as it is when you are a back. Normally as a back you are marking each other.As a forward,you dont really mark each other so its hard to say your counter part out played you. Just the way i see it.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Well BOD gets his wish to try against the SH teams at home next year. In 2010 they are first up against the ‘usually’ slow starting AB’s. With the Irish in good form, it could be their best chance to get a win over the AB’s for many a year.
I see they have the Boks at home again next Autumn, and then they have a probable/possible RWC 1/4er final against the Boks again in 2011. If they knock over the Boks at home again in 2010 they are going to fancy their chances of getting past them at the RWC.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Hurricane
Brussow also owned McCaw when the Cheetahs played the Crusaders and won , by the way!
November 29th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Im just so glad that BOD didnt win Player of the year. What a little whinger that bloke is.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:48 am
@mampara73: i was rooting for everyone elese besides BOD , imagine the excuses if ireland had lost tht game
November 29th, 2009 at 9:49 am
@Flametop: That’s a joke right? Talk about IRB conspiracies!?
November 29th, 2009 at 9:49 am
@mbaxman93: But they won. What’s your excuse?
November 29th, 2009 at 9:52 am
@Hurricane: Du Preez or BOD should have won the award, personally I think du Preez was head and shoulders above the others on the shortlist. McCaw has had an average year by his own standards and been injured for a large part of it so how the hell can he win? Answers on a postcard to the IRB please!
November 29th, 2009 at 10:53 am
F……ng joke. How the hell does McCaw even qualify for a final listing this year.
Du Preez, Brussouw, Giteau, Kearney, BODweep, and then maybe Mc.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
@upandunder:
Giteau? Really? The guy has lived on his reputation this year. Giteau only looks good when he has Berrick Barnes next to him, and even then his god-awful goal kicking lets him down.