Why they rank here
The greatest centre of the professional era and, at his retirement, the most-capped player in the history of the game with 141 Tests. O'Driscoll combined a devastating attacking edge — sidesteps, offloads and support lines that made him one of the finest finishers among midfielders — with a fearless defensive game and a jackaling instinct usually reserved for flankers. He scored 46 tries for Ireland, an Irish record, and captained his country for a decade, leading them to the 2009 Grand Slam, their first in 61 years. He toured four times with the British and Irish Lions, captaining the 2005 tour, and his solo try against Australia on the 2001 tour remains iconic. Playing for a nation without New Zealand's or South Africa's resources, he elevated Ireland to consistent contention and set a standard of skill, courage and consistency that defined the position for fifteen years.
Career profile
Each bar shows how this athlete compares with the strongest in our all-time list for that metric.