Writing in the Irish Independent, former England star Will Greenwood muses that Brian O'Driscoll's legacy as a rugby legend will only be complete when he leads Ireland to a win over a southern hemisphere superpower.
"Some men define their country and its style of rugby. Martin Johnson has his brand of unapologetic English obstinacy. For French flair how about Phillipe Sella or Serge Blanco. Wales had Jonathan Davies and Scotland Finlay Calder.
"In the southern hemisphere, say Sean Fitzpatrick, Ruben Kruger and Tim Horan and you know exactly what you will get. But for Ireland, it was always a little harder. Don't get me wrong, they had some great players, just not one of whom you could say conclusively “that's Irish rugby.”
"Men such as Keith Wood had that hard edge when wearing the Lions jersey, an intense presence that never let up. In the backs, the great Brendan Mullin showed the lovely flat-out balance that will stand any test of time. But no one combined it all to showcase the full-on, ferocious beauty that Irish rugby can achieve.
"Well, no one until Brian O'Driscoll last year. After a decade of trying, he finally brought home the silverware, and with it he came as close as anyone to becoming the quintessential Irish player. "
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