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As Brian O'Driscoll prepares to depart the international stage, we take a look at some of his greatest moments.
Ireland's iconic centre retires this summer after 15 years in the international arena and 141 Test appearances.
The 35-year-old made his international debut in Ireland's 46-10 defeat to Australia in Brisbane on June 12, 1999 and his final game will be the Six Nations match in Paris against France this weekend.
With records and career stats unparalleled in the modern game, O'Driscoll also has a collection of incredible memories.
Here, we take a look back at five of the best...
Show all 5 1 /5Brian O'Driscoll: His five best moments Brian O'Driscoll: His five best moments FRANCE 25 IRELAND 27, SIX NATIONS, PARIS, MARCH 2000 O'Driscoll became the eighth Irishman to score an international hat-trick, dragging his side to their first win in France since 1972. Hooker Keith Wood was Ireland captain that day, and firmly believes that treble from the 20-year-old changed the face of Irish rugby forever. "I had felt all the hidings we'd had from France, and I remember that day, watching from about 30 yards away on my knees as he held the ball up in one hand," said Wood of O'Driscoll completing his hat-trick. "And I remember thinking 'anything is possible now', thanks to this young kid who had come on and suddenly had a bit of magic about him. "That was the change for me, it was the change for me as captain, but it was a change for the team too, because suddenly there was a belief that actually if things weren't going so well you could still have somebody who could score three tries." O'Driscoll himself admitted he had no idea what he had done, until returning to Dublin thrust perspective his way. "I didn't realise the enormity of it until we got back home, it was nice to live all the craziness of it with my friends and family," he said. "I don't think it was me who changed things, it was a generation of players, with the likes of Ronan O'Gara and John Hayes, who were not used to losing and refused to accept it."
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Brian O'Driscoll: His five best moments AUSTRALIA 21 BRITISH LIONS 23, FIRST LIONS TEST, THE GABBA, BRISBANE, JUNE 2001 "Waltzing O'Driscoll" was born as the Leinster centre danced round Wallabies full-back Matt Burke to score one of the greatest British Lions tries of all time. O'Driscoll scythed home from halfway for a try that elevated the Ireland centre from European to world renown. England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson later revealed his admiration for O'Driscoll's nerveless confidence on that Australia tour. The Wallabies edged the series 2-1 in the event, but Wilkinson admitted O'Driscoll's supreme faith in his own abilities left a lasting impression. "Give me the ball and I'll score", World Cup-winner Wilkinson recalls O'Driscoll telling the Lions backline in the midst of match action: a pledge on which he delivered.
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Brian O'Driscoll: His five best moments AUSTRALIA 17 IRELAND 16, RUGBY WORLD CUP, TELSTRA DOME, MELBOURNE, NOVEMBER 2003 Not even a rare drop-goal from the outside centre and skipper could drag Ireland to victory over the tournament hosts. O'Driscoll produced an inch-perfect finish into the left corner for a fine try to bamboozle the Wallaby defence. The drop-goal summed up his refusal to admit defeat, desperate for Ireland to win any which way. George Smith's try, three penalties from Elton Flatley and a George Gregan drop-goal edged Australia home. Despite the defeat this was another Herculean O'Driscoll performance, further illustrating his world box-office status.
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Brian O'Driscoll: His five best moments WALES 15 IRELAND 17, SIX NATIONS, MILLENNIUM STADIUM, CARDIFF, MARCH 2009 Captain marvel O'Driscoll steered Ireland to their first Grand Slam since 1948 with a superlative, try-scoring performance. Stephen Jones' four penalties kept Wales firmly in the hunt, but O'Driscoll and Tommy Bowe produced vital second-half scores. Wales pilfered a 15-14 lead in the dying stages through fly-half Jones' drop-goal, only for Ronan O'Gara to drop a goal of his own to clinch the dramatic overtime victory. O'Gara's big-match temperament had been called into question in the build-up to the clash, but the Munster fly-half's late strike secured the clean sweep, sending Ireland into raptures. O'Driscoll can eschew the acclaim all he likes, but without his talismanic, stubborn and driven leadership Ireland could still be waiting to break that Grand Slam duck.
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Brian O'Driscoll: His five best moments IRELAND 24 ENGLAND 8, SIX NATIONS, AVIVA STADIUM, DUBLIN, MARCH 2011 O'Driscoll's 25th Ireland try broke Scotland wing Ian Smith's tournament scoring record that had stood since 1933. Just a short-range dart across the line, but O'Driscoll still had the presence of mind to fling himself lower than England's whitewash defenders. The arch-poacher scooped up a loose ball 15 metres from the line, whipping home before Nick Easter and the like could set themselves to offer sufficient resistance. Few begrudged a 78-year tournament record tumbling at the hands of a genuine world power.
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