Brian O'Driscoll has spoken to Off The Ball about receiving grief from trolls after Julien Marchand's missed red card during Toulouse's Champions Cup semi-final.
Toulouse booked their place in the final with a 21-9 victory over French rivals Bordeaux, with Antoine Dupont scoring the winner late in the match.
However, it was still within reach for Bordeaux with 23 minutes left on the clock when Toulouse captain Marchand put in a potentially red-cardable tackle on Romain Buros. It was missed at the time but O'Driscoll and Sam Warburton flagged it on TV, and Marchand has since been suspended for four weeks.
Brian O'Driscoll on trolls
"Myself and Sam Warburton saw it in the BT Sport studio, and it was one of those games where there was very little happening and it was a possible talking point. They were only five points up with 22 minutes to go.
"For me it was a very simple red card - it was a chicken wing, high shot, there was no bend at the hips and it was third defender in. I don't know how the referee and TMO missed it but they did, and we highlighted it after the game.
"Since he has been suspended, I have received some interesting messages in Google Translate French in my direct messages on social media. My mum hasn't come out great from it!
"But it has been interesting to say the least. I've engaged with one or two of them. Like most people, as soon as you engage they tend to soften.
"This morning I'd had enough, where I was like 'are you guys still banging on about this? It's not on me, my job is to call things as I see it, it is not to protect players. If you are guilty of something then I have got to tell the viewers at home what my opinion is and that is the reality of it.'
"I said that I feel for Marchand - and I really do because he's missing out on the final - but I am not going to feel any guilt that I had any say in bringing it to the authorities' attention."
"They obviously do [feel that I did that] and I don't know how it has been reported over there. I haven't been privy to what they've been writing over there.
"Sam Warburton has been in the same boat as me, he has gotten some spicy messaging. To be honest, it is only Toulouse supporters because they are losing their captain, but I don't think anyone can be in disagreement that it was a red card offence."
Engagement
BOD explained why he felt engaging with the people behind the trolls changed their tune.
"As I was saying, [engagement] softens this cough, and by the end of the conversation today it was like 'I've really enjoyed this exchange, we might differ on this point but you enjoy the game at the weekend.'
"That was from calling me every name under the sun in the initial messages..!"
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