Bob Dwyer Slams O' Driscoll

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...cle2742946.ece

Brian O'Driscoll is smug and lacks modesty. What is more, his strengths as a world class rugby player are his flaws. And, if that isn't enough, he isn't a player who reacts well to coaching and coaches.

That's the sensational claim of Australian World Cup winning coach Bob Dwyer, a man who has had personal experience of coaching the Irish captain.

Dwyer, a guru for coaches the world over, was in charge of the Barbarians a couple of years back when O'Driscoll was selected as part of their squad. The Australian waited with much anticipation for the opportunity to work with a player whom he regards as one of the finest in the world. But Dwyer admits he was disappointed with what he found.

"I didn't get the impression he was the most coachable of players" the Australian said in Sydney this week. "Why did I think that? There was a smugness about him, a lack of modesty, too. Even the great players have to be willing to learn but Brian didn't seem too keen. I got the impression he thought he knew it all and didn't need to listen to a coach.

"When I went on tour years ago with Tim Horan and Jason Little, the Australian centres who were two of the best we've ever known in this country, they told me at the end of that trip that no-one had ever told them things I had been telling them. That wasn't a position I suggested, it just came out.

"But I certainly didn't get that reaction from Brian. In my view, Brian O'Driscoll is a great player but he could be an even greater player if he was prepared to listen and learn. Even the best players can benefit from that."

Hammering the reputation of Ireland's popular rugby captain is not generally perceived as a wise move.

But Bob Dwyer certainly doesn't have an axe to grind as regards Ireland and Irish rugby. How could he with a surname like his?

For example, he believes Eddie O'Sullivan's men are perfectly capable of reaching this year's World Cup final. But he isn't convinced they can win the tournament.

" Ireland are a very good side in my book. They are strong and a big part of their game is their centres. But O'Driscoll's strengths are his flaws.

"His lightning acceleration and outside break is a very strong part of his game. But unless those qualities create the ultimate advantage they bring a strong disadvantage, which is that he gets tackled going sideways. What that also means is that he has used all the space those outside him need to play in."

Dwyer acknowledges that Gordon D'Arcy is also a fine player, albeit not quite in the same class as O'Driscoll. But, revealingly, he says "Unfortunately, D'Arcy has to live off the scraps O'Driscoll gives him."

But Dwyer's assessment of Ireland also contained some highly praiseworthy aspects. For example, he said of fly half Ronan O'Gara "He is almost certainly the most improved player in the world. I used to think he was dreadful but now he is terrific.

" He was always a great kicker but not a lot else. But now he is a great player overall. Maybe Alan Gaffney's work at Munster has had an effect.

" Whatever the reason, O'Gara is now a really good player who controls a game the way you would want to see. And his half back mate, Peter Stringer, is pretty good, too.

"Ireland has an excellent forward pack. They may lack a bit of height in the line-out but that's only a small point."

How far could Ireland go in the World Cup?

"I don't think they are good enough to win it. But they could be semi-finalists and maybe worthy finalists" says Dwyer.