One of the most feared players in the game, O'Driscoll has lit up the rugby world since bursting onto the international stage. The all-time Irish record try scorer, O'Driscoll has also led his country more times than any other player and with brilliant defensive qualities and dazzling attacking skills he poses a threat all over the field.

The Dublin-born centre made a rapid rise through the representative ranks, impressing at Ireland Schools, U19 and U21 levels - including victory at the IRB Under-19s World Championship in 1998. He was called into the senior squad for the first time against Italy in April 1999 but had to wait until that summer's tour to Australia for his debut.

A 20-year-old O'Driscoll claimed his first cap on June 12, 1999 at Ballymore when the tourists were outclassed 46-10 by the Wallabies. O'Driscoll later played in all four of Ireland's games at the 1999 Rugby World Cup, scoring his first try against the USA.

The fleet-footed back then made headlines around the world in the 2000 Six Nations with a hat-trick of tries against France to propel Ireland to their first win in Paris in 28 years. In 2001, O'Driscoll was selected for the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia and subsequently appeared in all three Tests against the Wallabies - notably scoring an outstanding individual try in the first Test victory at The Gabba in Brisbane.

'BOD', as he is nick-named, impressed once again in the 2002 Six Nations Championship notching a hat-trick in the 43-22 victory over Scotland at Lansdowne Road. He captained Ireland for the first time when winning his 31st cap against Australia in November 2002 and took over as skipper of the squad for the 2004 Six Nations after Keith Wood's retirement.

O'Driscoll then led Ireland to a second-place finish in the Championship, and in the process the Triple Crown. On April 11, 2005, he was named captain of the team for their 2005 tour of New Zealand - becoming Ireland's first Lions captain since Ciaran Fitzgerald in 1983.

Sadly his playing contribution was cut short when he suffered a dislocated shoulder in the 1st Test defeat to the All Blacks. A controversial double tackle from All Blacks Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu during the Christchurch clash on June 25 ruled him out for the rest of the tour.

Later the same year O'Driscoll was named captain of his Irish province Leinster and in his first year as skipper he led the squad to a Heineken Cup semi-final and a runner-up finish in the Celtic League.

With speculation growing that O'Driscoll was considering a lucrative move to play his club rugby in France, the Irish Rugby Football Union moved to secure his services in late 2005. O'Driscoll subsequently signed a deal with the IRFU to keep at Leinster through the 2007 Rugby World Cup and later he put pen to paper on a contract that would keep him at Leinster until 2011.

O'Driscoll made his playing comeback for Leinster in December before inspiring Leinster's run to the Heineken Cup semi-finals where they were beaten by rivals Munster.

Also in 2006, O'Driscoll guided Ireland to their second Triple Crown in three seasons culminating in a famous 28-24 win against England at Twickenham. To cap a fine year he led Ireland to a hat-trick of wins over Southern hemisphere opposition - South Africa, Australia and the Pacific Islanders.

O'Driscoll then led Ireland to their third Triple Crown in four years in 2007 after Ireland recorded victories over Wales in the Millennium Stadium, England in an emotional clash at Croke Park and Scotland at Murrayfield.

He exceeded Keith Wood's captaincy record of 36 tests when Ireland defeated Italy in their last game of the Championship. O'Driscoll was named as the Player of the Six Nations in both 2006 and 2007.

The enduring O'Driscoll was sidelined with injury prior to the 2007 Rugby World Cup but took a full part in what proved to be a disappointing campaign for the Irish. He then featured in four of the 2008 Six Nations matches, missing out the final game through injury.

He did however taste success on the domestic stage by leading Leinster to the Celtic League title in May before returning to the international fray on the summer tour later that year - extending his try-scoring record in the defeat to Australia.

He returned to top form in the 2009 Six Nations to lead his country to a long-awaited Grand Slam - only their second clean sweep and first for 61 years. His performances also saw him honoured once again with the Player of the Championship award.

Selection for his third British & Irish Lions tour followed later the same year before he helped steer Leinster to their first-ever Heineken Cup triumph with the province edging out Leicester 19-16 in their Murrayfield showdown.

He was selected in the first two Lions Tests in South Africa but had to come off injured late on in the second Test after a crunching tackle on Danie Rossouw. In his absence the Lions lost the Test and O'Driscoll was unable to take part in the third match of the series.

He was re-appointed Ireland captain in November 2009 and became Test rugby's 11th centurion against Australia at Croke Park. During the 2010 Six Nations O'Driscoll oversaw a disappointing campaign but won his 100th Ireland cap against Wales in the tournament's penultimate round.

There was disappointment at club level as O'Driscoll led Leinster to the semi finals of the Heineken Cup where they were beaten by Toulouse and to the Magners League Grand Final where they were beaten by the Ospreys.

At international level Ireland continued to struggle to reach the heights of 2009 with two defeats from four during the 2010 November internationals and another disappointing Six Nations campaign. However O'Driscoll equalled the Ian Smith's Championship try-scoring record of 24 with a score during Ireland's defeat to Wales. And then a week later he claimed the record outright with his 25th championship try as Ireland shattered England's dreams of securing a Grand Slam.

Going into the 2011 World Cup, O'Driscoll was suffering with a neck injury but he recovered in time to help lead them to the quarter-finals of the tournament including a try against Italy. But he was forced to undergo shoulder injury in the aftermath of the tournament which subsequently ruled him out of the 2012 Six Nations.

Scrum Staff