Brian O’Driscoll’s timely reminder for Irish fans couldn’t be more accurate
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Enjoy it.
There was lots said about Ireland over the past week following their defeat to England, and even more the week before.
One week, Ireland are the so-called ‘best team in the world’; the next week, they are perennial ‘chokers.’
Either way, only one team is walking away with the Six Nations trophy when everything is said and done; that team is Andy Farrell’s Ireland.
Brian O’Driscoll was on hand for the game with ITV and he summed up the achievement and the occasion wonderfully.
“You shouldn’t take it for granted that you’re going to win Six Nations,” O’Driscoll said.
“We don’t in Ireland.
“Okay, there are huge expectations across the board. This team has earned the right to have that and to put it into the crowd. However, it wasn’t that long ago when I was growing up, I think we won seven Five Nations games in the whole 90s.
“To turn that around in the last 25 or 30 years to what we’re achieving as a country now is nothing short of exceptional.
“These are big days to enjoy, to revel in, to take on board, and not in any way, shape or form to take for granted…
“We have to remember, rugby is still the fourth choice sport in this country. It is a country of six million people, so we are massively overachieving in comparison to other European nations, particularly if you look at the player numbers in France and England…
“If you have the capacity to continue to improve, who knows what might come of this side. Right now, without being vintage today, they are a winning a team.
“They have a winning culture, a fantastic environment, and something to hold onto for hopefully another three and-a-half years.“