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BYE BYE BOD

75 pictures that sum up Brian O'Driscoll's brilliant career with Leinster

This is the end.
6.41pm, 31 May 2014
25.2k
16

TODAY, MAY 31  2014, was always going to be the end of a glorious era in Irish rugby, but what nobody expected was that the long goodbye would last just eight minutes.

Brian O’Driscoll was forced to retire from the RaboDirect Pro12 final early after sustaining a calf injury early on against Glasgow Warriors.

We’ve all seen the end coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept that Brian O’Driscoll will never play professional rugby again.

Thanks, Brian.

75 pictures that sum up Brian O'Driscoll's brilliant career with Leinster
1 / 75

  • John Kelly chased by Brian O'Driscoll in 1999.

    Source: Tom Honan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Shane Horgan, Peter McKenna and 'some bloke' in a scrumcap.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • Tackling Arthur Gomes with Mark McHugh.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • Never afraid to get his hands dirty.

    Source: Andrew Paton/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: INPHO

  • Gordon D'Arcy would become a regular fixture by his side.

    Source: ©INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: INPHO

  • Denis Hickie compares body fat percentages.

    Source: INPHO

  • Touching down over Philippe Bernat-Salles in 2003.

    Source: INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: INPHO

  • 22? BOD's first game back after the 2005 Lions tour.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • True blue.

    Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: ©INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: ©INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Praisintg Cillian Willis for his part in Horgan's try.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • With the Magners League trophy, the start of something.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Taking on Shane Jennings.

    Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

  • The creative department.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Bye, Ronan.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • No tackle too big...

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Heineken Cup final drop-goal.

    Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

  • Amy and her silverware.

    Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

  • Post Heineken Cup protein milk.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: James Crombie/INPHO

  • Blocking Brock James.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Clermont were never far away.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: James Crombie

  • The tag team take on Manu.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • BOD and Joe struck up a successful relationship for club and country.

    Source: James Crombie

  • Cullen always with a helpful shove.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Scoring v Toulouse.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Off to another final.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Down, but not out against Northampton.

    Source: Colm O'Neill/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Colm O'Neill/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • The Magners final was not so easily turned around.

    Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

  • In 2012, came Heineken Cup number three at the expense of Ulster.

    Source: Colm O'Neill/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • But again the domestic competition was a step too far.

    Source: Colm O'Neill/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

  • We felt every injury.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Lorraine O'Sullivan/INPHO

  • Another unfamiliar shirt.

    Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

  • He would miss out on the Amlin final...

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • ... but helped seal the double with a Pro12 win over Ulster.

    Source: James Crombie/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Highlights in blue were scarce this season.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: James Crombie/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Presseye/Darren Kidd/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

  • He left the fray early against ulster and we feared that was that.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • Ready for one last game.

    Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

  • The end.

    Source: James Crombie/INPHO

  • Thanks, Brian.

    Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Brian O’Driscoll’s international career in 113 pictures

Brian O’Driscoll’s final farewell cruelly cut short by injury

Author
Sean Farrell
Sean@The42.ie
@seanfarrell_42
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