Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
NationalityIrish
ProfessionAthlete
Date of Birth21 January 1979
CountryIreland
When you are captain, you are never speaking for yourself.
australia goes great highlight less lions might sound strange time tour won
The 2001 tour to Australia would have been a great highlight in my career if the Lions had won the series. That might sound strange because it was a great tour in many ways, but, for me, the more time goes by, the less of a career highlight it becomes, and just more of a frustration.
behind kids mentality playing shaping sports
Team sports are very important for shaping personalities. It's important that kids understand the mentality behind playing team sports and playing for one another and playing with friends.
family impartial interest point
When you talk to family and friends, they can't tell you anything from an impartial point of view because they have a vested interest in you.
learnt second takes
One thing I learnt early on my career is that personal gratification takes second place.
became
I was a football fan before I became a rugby fan.
knowing knowledge tomato wisdom
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
bit gave quite relatively
Rugby gave me a confidence. I was quite shy and relatively timid, but it gave me the confidence to be a little bit more out-going and back myself a bit more.
bit game hope italy sharper step
It's gone, OK? I've got a little bit better and sharper with each game back. I hope with the Italy game I will step up to another level.
thinking training important
I think training and being dedicated is very important, but one aspect that I always live by is that I enjoy myself in what I do!
retirement thinking months
If you start thinking about retirement in six months' time, you're already there.
sports team years
I love going out every day and training and being part of the team, and having friendships built up over a number of years. It's those aspects of sport that I feel are really important.
summer disappointment careers
Last summer was probably the biggest disappointment of my career, but now I have something bad with which to balance the good. I will no longer take anything for granted.
sweet good-day celebrate
You've to celebrate the good days because there are brutal days that make the good ones sweet.