Ireland icon Brian O’Driscoll believes compatriot Dan Sheehan’s “dream” form puts him ahead of Springboks Malcolm Marx and Bongi Mbonambi as the standout hooker on the planet.
Sheehan starred as Ireland beat Wales in the Six Nations opener last week, while his eight tries for Leinster in the 2022-23 Vodacom United Rugby Championship is the second-most from any player in the league season.
Marx played all of the Boks’ 13 Tests in 2022, and scored four tries, as he shared the role of first-choice hooker with Mbonambi, who crossed the whitewash three times in eight matches.
The 2019 World Cup winners also both made their 50th international appearance last season.
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O’Driscoll, speaking on this week’s edition of the ‘Off the Ball’ podcast, suggested Sheehan should be considered ahead of the South Africans for the title of “best hooker in the world”.
“For me, I think he’s got to be, maybe, the best hooker in the world at the moment,” O’Driscoll said. “Malcolm Marx will have something to say about that, I’m sure. And Mbonambi, a few South Africans might challenge that.
“But [Sheehan’s] jump step that he has is un-defendable! Teams strategy of having their six in one flank and their two in the other only works when you’ve got real athletes like the likes of Sheehan playing a hooker in the trams.
“We used to have Sean Cronin years ago who was as fast as any back. You were totally comfortable with him being in the line with you rather than being the support player.
“Sheehan is a dream to watch in the open field.”
He added: “If you watch on the quick taps, when they set them up, it looks as though he potentially could score from a quick tap himself.
“Because of the acceleration from the quick tap and the power he has to back it up. Maybe a lot of teams are watching Leinster as well, because Leinster have had a couple of those quick tap free kicks where they’ve had a bit of intricacy, you’ve got to respect wide and tight as well.”
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