Brian O’Driscoll played against some of the greatest rugby players of all time during a legendary career with Ireland and the British & Irish Lions.
Widely regarded as one of the finest centres the game has ever seen, O’Driscoll faced World Cup winners, All Black icons and Springbok greats across more than 15 years at the top level.
So when the former Ireland captain was asked to name the toughest opponents he ever came up against, rugby fans were always going to pay attention.
Sourcing several Q&A’s from down the years, including one with the Six Nations website, here are his top five opponents:
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5. Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand)
Known initially more for his braided hair and eyeliner, he added passing and kicking to his raw line-breaking power to become one of the great centres, capping his Test career with that superb World Cup final try.
Brian O’Driscoll SAID: “Same height as me [5-foot-11] and still 16-stone. Probably the most complete centre in the modern game.”
