Brian O’Driscoll provides unique solution for Ireland’s wing crisis

Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll has selected his replacement for Mack Hansen after the star wing was ruled out for four months.

The Connacht speedster suffered a dislocated shoulder, which ultimately required surgery, while playing in the United Rugby Championship.

Hansen will duly miss the upcoming Six Nations, which is a blow for head coach Andy Farrell ahead of their title defence.

It then got worse for Farrell when it was confirmed on the same day that Jimmy O’Brien – probably Hansen’s natural replacement – will also be absent for the tournament.

Options

That ordinarily leaves Calvin Nash, Jordan Larmour and Rob Baloucoune vying for that position in the Six Nations, but O’Driscoll has a different idea.

The Irish great has put forward Garry Ringrose’s name for that role and believes that he could fill in there.

Although Ringrose has never started an international in the back three, the centre has, on the very odd occasion, moved into that slot during a game.

“Maybe you play Ringrose on the wing,” O’Driscoll told the Off The Ball podcast. “I think you play your best team. Right now, with a gun to my head, I would say you have to play Bundee [Aki]. You have to!

“He’s just been named Rugby Writers Player of the Year, nominated for World Player of the Year, you can’t not play that. So, he’s going to be playing 12.

“Robbie Henshaw is too good of a player to leave out. Ringrose is really the only one that properly plays on the wing, has wing experience. So, I think it’s a case of getting your best players playing.

“For me, right now, if you were selecting a team I think that would be the three quarter line that you would go with.”

Runners and riders

O’Driscoll went through the runners and riders, including on the left wing where James Lowe, who has not played much, is situated, but the 44-year-old doesn’t see any standouts.

“Calvin Nash hasn’t been as good as he was last season for Munster. (But) he does look like someone where you sit up in your seat a little bit more when he gets the ball,” he added.

“Mack has been that player for Connacht and Ireland in the last couple of seasons where there just feels like there’s been a creation.

“With Jacob (Stockdale), in attack he’s not quite to his very best, but way down the road in that regard. He’s dangerous, strong, a great finisher and looks confident.

“Watching the picture of Jacob and the defensive side of his game, it’s just not where it needs to be.

“There’s nothing between a lot of those guys with James Lowe, it just shows that we’re getting a bit thin in that position.”

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