Brian O’Driscoll set for emotional send-off in his last match at Lansdowne Road
Ireland star will win 140th test cap against Italy
The latest stop on Brian O’Driscoll’s long goodbye to rugby is at Lansdowne Road on Saturday against Italy in the Six Nations, with the centre marking his final home match for Ireland with a record 140th test cap.
It is bound to be an emotional occasion in Dublin as the Irish public bid farewell to one of the country’s greatest ever players, although O’Driscoll has tried his best not to join in the reminiscing.
“He’s a quiet guy, an understated guy, he’s a bit embarrassed and he just wants to focus on finishing as well as he can, without any distractions,” Ireland captain Paul O’Connell said.
I want to get out of the game relatively unscathed. Now is the time to do it
“It’s hard to think what life will be like without him, but at the moment there’s been very little mention of it from staff, players or Brian himself, and I’m sure that’s the way he’d like it.”
O’Driscoll’s last international will come next weekend, when Ireland travel to France for what could be a Six Nations title decider. Both teams are level on points with England and Wales after three games.
For the Irish to stay in contention for the championship, they will need to beat Italy – something that surprisingly was beyond them last season when they lost 22-15 in Rome. That was Ireland’s first Six Nations defeat to the Azzurri in 14 meetings and proved to be the last match for head coach Declan Kidney.
“We can use it as a bit of a spur on,” Ireland lock Devin Toner said. “No one wants to feel like that again.”
O’Driscoll will beat the test appearance record he held jointly with former Australia scrumhalf George Gregan. Eight matches for the British and Irish Lions are included in O’Driscoll’s total.
