Brian O'Driscoll joined Ronan O'Gara on Off The Ball for a rugby special as the pair looked back on aspects of their careers together.
The relationship between a captain and kicker is a crucial one O'Driscoll and O'Gara recall how it worked for them over the course of their Ireland careers.
Tonight at 8pm, we’ll be joined by @BrianODriscoll and @RonanOGara10 on all manner of topics!
Players able to sniff out a bluffer of a new coach, BOD’s future and much more!
Tune in on our social channels from 8, or on https://t.co/ssXr3mDLp8! @VodafoneIreland #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/1vGnYpgO5p— Off The Ball (@offtheball) April 7, 2020
The Munster man remembers one captain's style: "Paul O'Connell would make up your mind for you."
O'Gara's relationship with O'Driscoll was different though, the pair had come through at similar times although O'Gara was further ahead provincially, recalled O'Driscoll.
Brilliant
ROG fondly remembers O'Driscoll's captaincy.
"It was brilliant - with Brian, perception sometimes isn't reality, when it came to those decisions, there was a very serious side to him," says the former Ireland out-half.
"It's about knowing your player inside out and he knew exactly.
"There was a huge understanding between the two of us. It came to times when he would just point, that was what was happening."
Both men are centurions in the Irish jersey, many of those caps together, that helped the pair massively according to O'Gara.
"We played together an awful amount times and that was absolutely crucial in the make-up of our relationship."
Data
The knowledge an out-half has now compared to the turn of the century is vastly different and, accordingly, the kicking strategy was too.
"In 2000 three points were probably different to now. A lot of data has emerged in thew last few years about a certain amount of points you need to beat a certain amount of teams, but back then there wasn't that data," recalls O'Gara.
"A lot of times (back then) it was just three, six, nine and if you got a try well and good.
The bond between captain and kicker borne out of familiarity helped O'Gara.
"He knew me inside out, he knew the days when I was low on confidence and he knew the days I was flying."
ROG remembers being told not to start the game with a 'Hail Mary': "You know you get your first kick at goal and you try from 54 metres because you think you're brilliant.
"Sometimes it's not the right thing, it's about building pressure, putting the ball into the 22, putting the forwards into a rolling maul, sucking the life out of them ."
O'Gara credits O'Driscoll of regularly getting those call right.
"There was a fantastic relationship there,between kicker and captain in terms of kicking that (correct kick)."
Clutch Kicker
O'Driscoll recalls rarely having to make a decision based on O'Gara's confidence.
"He was pretty much a clutch kicker the whole time, but like everybody he's human and he's had the occasional off day.
"The longer you play with someone. the more you get to know their range, how they're feeling, but also playing the sense of where the game is going and momentum being built.
"Whether it was vitally important to take three points or whether you can go for the jugular."
The decisions on what kicks to take, and where, often happened on a feel for the game according to O'Driscoll.
"A kick near touch out on the 40, yeah you might have a shot at goal potentially get three, but the thought of potentially missing that and taking the foot off the throat of the opposition or kicking ot the corner."
Although the decision often didn't even have to be made by the Leinster man
"Sometimes I'd go up and ROG would just make the decision himself 'let's go to the corner, let's stay on this' and I'd be like, decision made.
"The comfort in know when your ten, who is comfortable kicking goals says 'corner,' you know there is no cop-out in that."
Everyone’s in the Team Of Us.
Vodafone. The Official Sponsor of the Irish Rugby Team.
