56 Facts About Brian O'Driscoll

Brian Gerard O'Driscoll was born on 21 January 1979 and is an Irish former professional rugby union player.

Brian O'Driscoll played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland.

Brian O'Driscoll is regarded by critics as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.

Brian O'Driscoll scored 46 tries for Ireland and 1 try for the Lions in 2001, making him the highest try scorer of all time in Irish Rugby.

Brian O'Driscoll is the 8th-highest try scorer in international rugby union history, and the highest scoring centre of all time.

Brian O'Driscoll holds the Six Nations record for most tries scored with 26.

Brian O'Driscoll has scored the most Heineken Cup tries by an Irishman.

Brian O'Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006,2007 and 2009 Six Nations Championships.

Brian O'Driscoll was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame on 17 November 2016 at the opening ceremony for the Hall's first location in Rugby, Warwickshire.

Brian O'Driscoll was involved in Irish Rugby's unsuccessful bid to host the 2023 World Cup.

Brian O'Driscoll is involved in a number of business ventures including the Ultimate Rugby mobile app and Zipp, an Irish e-scooter start-up.

Brian O'Driscoll was born in Dublin to Frank and Geraldine Brian O'Driscoll, both physicians.

Brian O'Driscoll was capped three times for Ireland Schools in 1996.

In 1998, Brian O'Driscoll played for the Ireland U-19 side, which won the Under 19 Rugby World Championship.

Brian O'Driscoll made his Ireland under-21 debut in February 1999, and eventually gained four caps.

Brian O'Driscoll made his debut for Leinster in 1999, and under head coach Matt Williams and backs coach Alan Gaffney he became an explosive force in the Leinster backline, forming a highly effective centre partnership with Shane Horgan.

Leinster appointed Michael Cheika in the summer of 2005 and despite rumours of Brian O'Driscoll moving to France, Brian O'Driscoll agreed to another year in Ireland.

That year, Brian O'Driscoll returning from a shoulder injury suffered on the Lions tour, would assume the captaincy for the season.

Brian O'Driscoll excelled in wins over Bath Rugby and Toulouse away from home.

Brian O'Driscoll scored two tries in the defeat of English champions London Wasps, however this victory was followed by away defeats for Leinster to both London Wasps and Castres.

When Brian O'Driscoll was absent through injury in April 2009, Leinster relinquished their Magners League crown to Munster at Thomond Park.

Brian O'Driscoll left the field injured early in the first half to be replaced by Ian Madigan.

In 1999, Brian O'Driscoll was selected for the senior squad and was on the bench for a match against Italy, although he did not play.

Brian O'Driscoll played for Ireland before he played for the senior Leinster team.

In 2000, Brian O'Driscoll scored a Hat-trick of tries in a Six Nations Championship victory against France in Paris, propelling Ireland to their first win in Paris since 1972.

In 2003, following the international retirement of long-time Ireland captain Keith Wood, Brian O'Driscoll was awarded the captaincy on a permanent basis.

In that year, Brian O'Driscoll led Ireland to second place in the Six Nations Championship.

In 2009, Brian O'Driscoll was again selected as captain, leading Ireland to win the Triple Crown, Six Nations Championship and their first Grand Slam in 61 years.

Brian O'Driscoll started for and captained Ireland for every match during the 2010 Six Nations Championship.

Brian O'Driscoll picked up his 100th test cap for Ireland against Wales.

Brian O'Driscoll scored his 40th test try against New Zealand on 12 June 2010.

Brian O'Driscoll started every match for Ireland in the 2010 Autumn Tests.

Brian O'Driscoll played for Ireland in the last four World Cups.

Brian O'Driscoll became Ireland's most capped player on 26 June 2010 against Australia, winning his 103rd cap.

Brian O'Driscoll was ruled out of the entire 2012 Six Nations after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Brian O'Driscoll was fit to play in the 2013 tournament, but before the tournament it was announced that Brian O'Driscoll, who had missed the Autumn internationals earlier that season through injury, would not be reinstated as captain.

Brian O'Driscoll still started each game of the 2013 Championship for Ireland.

At this point Brian O'Driscoll achieved a world record for the highest number of international caps, with 140, overtaking George Gregan's record with Australia.

Brian O'Driscoll was named captain of the team for their 2005 tour of New Zealand.

Brian O'Driscoll's playing contribution to the 2005 Lions ended in the opening minutes of the first Test against the All Blacks in Christchurch on 25 June 2005, when he was carried off the field on a stretcher with a dislocated shoulder just after being tackled by All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu at a ruck.

Brian O'Driscoll then released a DVD entitled Brian O'Driscoll's Lions Diary in which he described his tour experience and his opinion of the events that transpired.

Brian O'Driscoll is only the third player in 125 years of the tournament to achieve this.

Brian O'Driscoll was selected at outside centre for the first two tests of the tour.

Brian O'Driscoll was controversially dropped from the squad for the final test, which the Lions won by 41 points to 16.

Brian O'Driscoll has appeared three times for the invitational Barbarians rugby team: against South Africa on 10 December 2000, against Scotland on 22 May 2004, and against England on 30 May 2004.

Against South Africa, Brian O'Driscoll scored his only try as a part of the Barbarians team.

In 2001,2002 and 2009, Brian O'Driscoll was nominated for the IRB World Player of the Year.

Brian O'Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006,2007 and 2009 RBS Six Nations Championships.

Brian O'Driscoll has received Honorary Doctorates from Dublin City University in 2013, Queen's University Belfast in 2014, and Trinity College Dublin in 2017.

Brian O'Driscoll was in a long-term relationship with model and TV3 Xpose presenter Glenda Gilson for a number of years until they split up in 2005.

Brian O'Driscoll married actress Amy Huberman in July 2010 in Lough Rynn Castle.

Brian O'Driscoll has published one book, A Year in the Centre, a memoir of a year as a professional rugby player.

On 18 May 2011, Brian O'Driscoll attended a state dinner hosted by President Mary McAleese to mark Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the Republic of Ireland.

Brian O'Driscoll was part of ITV Sport's team of studio pundits for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, and has continued to work for ITV during their coverage of the Six Nations Championship from 2016 onwards.

Brian O'Driscoll is a supporter of English football club Manchester United FC.

Brian O'Driscoll was injured at the beginning of the first test against New Zealand.