As part of our #thirteen series, in conjunction with O2, we've been recalling some of Brian O'Driscoll's best bits in the lead up to his final home game for Ireland, which comes this Saturday against Italy at Lansdowne Road.
We've already been through the best of BOD's passes and tries, so what better way to get the blood pumping for Saturday than to take a look at just a few of the national treasure's most crunching and crucial tackles since 2000.
You can get involved by sharing '13'-themed photos, with #thirteen, to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Each submission will raise €1 for Brian's chosen charities Temple Street and the ISPCC (up to €10,000).
v. France, 2000
Ireland's first game at Stade de France has of course been seared into Irish rugby folklore by BOD's hattrick and a rare Irish victory in Paris, but it also gave us an early glimpse of his defensive prowess, as this clattering of Philippe Bernat-Salles shows.
v. France, 2003
The 2003 World Cup quarter-final against France at Melbourne was a dismal occasion for Ireland. The 42-17 hammering was also the end of the international road for captain and talisman Keith Wood, but there were some rays of light on the BOD front: he scored one of his four career tries at the Docklands Stadium, and saved Ireland from further embarrassment early on with this smothering try-saver and steal on Les Tricolores' Rotorua-born centre, Tony Marsh.
v. Munster, Magners League
An absolute monster of a hit on 6'3", 16-stone Denis Hurley. In instances like this it's worth remembering that BOD is 5'10" and well under 15 stones.
v. Munster, Magners League
Tackles like this are a perfect example as to why there should be a statue of the man in the centre of Dublin. On the ground, receiving treatment for an injury, he notices that Munster have turned over and play has come back towards where his running repairs are taking place. With ridiculous presence of mind and disregard for his personal safety, Drico springs to his feet and makes a beautiful hit right next to the medics. Munster's momentum is halted and they are eventually forced to clear down-field. A passage that epitomises the man - magical, inspirational, hard as fucking nails.
v. South Africa, 2009
This arguably armless smash on Danie Roussouw could well have been illegal, but it remains shamefully enjoyable all the same - har, har, let's all laugh at the dopey Springbok as he staggers around, insensible. A prime example of O'Driscoll's fearlessness regardless of the size of his opponent.
v. South Africa, 2009
A hard-fought win in the November fog was secured in the dying seconds by this hit which resulted in a penalty to Ireland and the relief of the final whistle.
v. Australia, 2009
It might not have been one of the chest-high bone-jarrers we're accustomed to from O'Driscoll, but a tap tackle was the only option to bring down ex-Leinster teammate Rocky Elsom's threatening breakaway.
v. New Zealand, 2012
Kieran Read's excellent take-and-break from a New Zealand restart had five points written all over it until he was taken down by a combination of Keith Earls and O'Driscoll. Granted, Earls does fantastically well to make the initial tackle, but Ireland still needed BOD to ensure that Read didn't ground the ball. A slight cheat to include this one, maybe, but the incident shows just how crucial a defender O'Driscoll has been since 1999.
