News

Boks sad to see O'Driscoll go

June 30 2009

Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold believes the British and Irish Lions have been a tad unlucky on their tour of South Africa with injuries and is sorry to see centre Brian O'Driscoll's trip cut short.

O'Driscoll was involved in a clash of heads and suffered a concussion in the second Test last weekend, won 28-25 by South Africa, and will travel home on Wednesday.

Also heading home was Osprey and Wales prop Adam Jones, who suffered a dislocated shoulder during the match that required hospital treatment to put back into place.

Welsh full-back Lee Byrne only got to play half a Test match in Durban after leaving the field injured and was later involved in a freak accident involving his thumb at practice that also forced him to return home.

"It's sad for the Lions to lose a number of their top players," said Gold.

"Players like Lee Byrne, Adam Jones and now Brian O'Driscoll who have been forced home with injuries, must be a heavy blow for them (the Lions).

"But luckily for their coaching staff, they still have world-class players to choose from.

"Someone like Gordan D'Arcy is a player that, I feel, has enough talent to fill O'Driscoll's place in the line-up. In saying that, anyone that will be chosen to play the third Test at centre will pose a real threat to us."

The Springboks will go into the third and final Test match against the British and Irish Lions brimming with confidence as they seek a third straight victory to seal a historic whitewash.

Not since 1968 have South Africa claimed a 3-0 series win, albeit with one draw, over the cream of the four home nations of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. However, Gold says he would prefer to earn a Test win against a Lions outfit brimming with world-class players.

"At the end of the day, we want to beat the best team," he said.

"We don't want people to say we were up against a second or third string Lions outfit. So for these players not being there, it's quite sad for us too."

That may be encouraging for Lions fans, but the truth of the matter is that O'Driscoll holds the backline together - whether it be for Ireland or the Lions - and his loss is without a doubt, a major blow to the visitors' chances of restoring some pride by winning the third and final Test in Johannesburg.

O'Driscoll, the captain on the last Lions tour to New Zealand four years ago but injured in the early minutes of the opening Test match, was also a key member of the Lions leadership core. So he will be missed both for his onfield and off-field role in the last week of the tour.

"Look, if you want me to say that Brian O'Driscoll is the most exceptional player in the world - yes, he's right up there," said Gold.

"In fact, I rate him as one of the top three players in the game.

"The challenge won't be as great without having O'Driscoll there, but it doesn't mean that I don't think that the other centres in the squad are all world-class.

"For all them to put on a Lions jersey, it's going to be a big occasion and they will rise to the occasion. No doubt, they will want to prove to themselves, to their country and to the Lions that they can come out and win a game against the Springboks.

"I think it's going to be a fierce challenge against whoever they pick in his place."

By Dave Morris in Johannesburg