O'Driscoll the key for Ireland

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) -- If Ireland beats the All Blacks on Saturday for the first time in 16 rugby union tests, the key man for the visitors will likely be center Brian O'Driscoll.

Nicknamed "God" by his teammates, O'Driscoll, 23, has earned superlatives around the world since making his debut in 1999.

The Dubliner, 25 tests later, shares more in common with Irish captain Keith Wood than 13 tries. They are also rugby icons at home and their influence has been central to Ireland's improvement in world rugby.

"I'm just looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere of Carisbrook," O'Driscoll said. "Big games like this are the reason you play rugby.

"It's one thing being selected, but to be in a winning team is something every player really wants."

New Zealand coach John Mitchell has put pressure on his center Tana Umaga to rise to the challenge after being outplayed by O'Driscoll when the teams met in Dublin last November.

"I think Tana would be the first to acknowledge that that was a difficult contest for him last year," Mitchell said. "I'm sure that contest from last year is providing him an enormous amount of motivation."

Scoring tries in threes is nothing new to O'Driscoll, who crossed for a hat trick against the New Zealand Divisional 15 last Saturday in Timaru.

He did the same against Scotland in this year's Six Nations match after a hat trick against France in 2000. The 27-25 Irish win was their first in Paris for nearly 30 years and saw O'Driscoll carried from the field shoulder-high by his teammates.

Ireland made five changes to its team that beat the Divisional side, while the All Blacks made 10 from the team that beat Italy last Saturday.

Of the New Zealand changes, just three of the backs -- wingers Doug Howlett and Caleb Ralph and standoff Andrew Mehrtens -- remain from the starting 15 that ran in nine tries against Italy.

Captain Reuben Thorne and lock Norm Maxwell are the only forwards who have been retained.

Cold weather and rain is forecast for the match at Carisbrook.

Teams:

NEW ZEALAND: Leon MacDonald, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga, Aaron Mauger, Caleb Ralph, Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Scott Robertson, Richard McCaw, Reuben Thorne (captain), Norm Maxwell, Chris Jack, Greg Somerville, Mark Hammett, Dave Hewett. Reserves: Tom Willis, Joe McDonnell, Taine Randell, Marty Holah, Byron Kelleher, Daryl Gibson, Jonah Lomu.

IRELAND: Girvan Dempsey, Geordan Murphy, Brian O'Driscoll, Justin Bishop, John Kelly, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Anthony Foley, Keith Gleeson, Paul O'Connell, Gary Longwell, Simon Easterby, John Hayes, Keith Wood (captain), Reggie Corrigan. Reserves: Mel Deane, David Humphreys, Guy Easterby, Malcolm O'Kelly, Paul Wallace, James Byrne (one more to be named).

 

Related information

Stories

Rugby: All Blacks wary of O'Driscoll power

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video