Brian O’Driscoll: Pain of Exclusion in 2013
One of the most high-profile omissions of Gatland’s tenure came in 2013 when Brian O’Driscoll was dropped for the final Test against Australia. Speaking on The Rugby Centurions podcast, O’Driscoll recalled the hurt of not even being included in training sessions during that week.
“I came down on the Friday and on our whiteboard it said, ‘Non-23 are not needed at training’. I found that very difficult,” O’Driscoll said.
He shared his belief that players who weren’t selected should still have the opportunity to contribute to the team’s preparation. “In so many teams, it’s those that don’t get chosen that prep the team for battle.”
O’Driscoll expressed that the experience of being excluded from training left a lasting impact.