Dropping O’Driscoll was the hardest thing I’ve had to do
BEING head coach of the Lions in 2013 was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. This was definitely true of the last week in Australia, after leaving out Brian O’Driscoll for the decisive third Test. The vitriolic criticism shocked me. Selection is a matter of opinion. I thought it was the right decision at the time but it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do as a coach — not only making that decision but delivering the news, particularly as I had huge respect for Brian. I had given him his first cap in 1999 and now I was the first person to drop him in his career. I was incredibly impressed with his knowledge, maturity and understanding of the game, and his ability to bring the best out of those around him through his leadership. But we made a decision that we thought was right, which doesn’t mean that you don’t
reflect on it and question whether it was the correct call. There are still some people who disagree with the decision, which I understand and respect. But that’s why you’re given the job of head coach. You make what you think is the right call at the time. Brian had given us everything. He made a lot of tackles in that second Test and I think Australia were looking to go down his channel. That decision made it a very challenging week. I knew there was going to be fallout but it was nothing like I expected. We made other big calls. We recalled Mike Phillips for Ben Youngs, Alex Corbisiero for Mako Vunipola, Richard Hibbard for Tom Youngs, Toby Faletau for Jamie Heaslip, and with Sam Warburton out, we called up Sean O’Brien and made Alun Wyn Jones captain. Yet all the focus was on Brian. Everything else went under the radar. The tour was an emotional rollercoaster. The first question afterwards was: ‘You must feel justified in your selection and dropping Brian O’Driscoll after that result?’ I said it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do as a coach. I wondered at the time, and have done since, whether it was the right decision. Was it the right call?