Irish shock as Lions ax O'Driscoll
Source: Agencies |
July 4, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IRISH rugby fans and former players reacted with anger and bewilderment yesterday when they woke up to the news that Brian O'Driscoll had been dropped for the British and Irish Lions' crucial third test against Australia.
The talismanic center, regarded as Ireland's greatest ever player, was tipped to captain Warren Gatland's side for Saturday's series decider but was instead axed for the first time in a glittering 15-year career.
Gatland, who is also the head coach of Six Nations champion Wales, replaced O'Driscoll with Jamie Roberts, one of 10 Welshmen in the starting 15.
The decision dominated morning news shows, stoked ire on Twitter and led one former Lions great, ex-Ireland captain Keith Wood, to accuse Gatland of damaging the traditions of the touring side.
"I think he has sidestepped what the Lions is all about, which is the blending of four countries. I think it does the Lions a disservice," Wood said of Gatland, who also picked three Irishmen and two from England to start on Saturday in Sydney. Scotland's sole representative is lock Richie Gray, who is on the bench.
"I'm upset for the Lions and I'm really upset for Brian ... I think Brian gets the Lions more than Warren Gatland does if I'm brutally honest," Wood, who was part of the last Lions team to win a test series in 1997, told Irish radio station Newstalk.
O'Driscoll, Ireland's record try scorer who led his country to a first grand slam in 61 years in 2009 and is on his fourth Lions tour, reacted gracefully to the decision. "Obviously totally gutted at being left out for deciding Test but all efforts go into preparing the boys to see it through," he wrote on Twitter.
The talismanic center, regarded as Ireland's greatest ever player, was tipped to captain Warren Gatland's side for Saturday's series decider but was instead axed for the first time in a glittering 15-year career.
Gatland, who is also the head coach of Six Nations champion Wales, replaced O'Driscoll with Jamie Roberts, one of 10 Welshmen in the starting 15.
The decision dominated morning news shows, stoked ire on Twitter and led one former Lions great, ex-Ireland captain Keith Wood, to accuse Gatland of damaging the traditions of the touring side.
"I think he has sidestepped what the Lions is all about, which is the blending of four countries. I think it does the Lions a disservice," Wood said of Gatland, who also picked three Irishmen and two from England to start on Saturday in Sydney. Scotland's sole representative is lock Richie Gray, who is on the bench.
"I'm upset for the Lions and I'm really upset for Brian ... I think Brian gets the Lions more than Warren Gatland does if I'm brutally honest," Wood, who was part of the last Lions team to win a test series in 1997, told Irish radio station Newstalk.
O'Driscoll, Ireland's record try scorer who led his country to a first grand slam in 61 years in 2009 and is on his fourth Lions tour, reacted gracefully to the decision. "Obviously totally gutted at being left out for deciding Test but all efforts go into preparing the boys to see it through," he wrote on Twitter.
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