to the bench for the remainder of the competition, and was an unused replacement in the team's victorious final appearance, in which Leo Cullen and Bob Casey were the second row. In 1997 they were beaten in the quarter-final by Clongowes, who had Gordon D'Arcy in their side. He was capped three times for Ireland Schools in 1996. In 1998, O'Driscoll played for the Ireland U-19 side, which won the Under 19 Rugby World Championship. After leaving school, he attended University College Dublin (UCD) on a scholarship and graduated with a Diploma in Sports Management in 1998. While at UCD, he first made the under-20 side, before being promoted to the top team near the end of his first year. His coach John McClean moved O'Driscoll from the fly-half position to centre. O'Driscoll made his Ireland under-21 debut in February 1999, and eventually gained four caps. In 2009 Brian received the UCD Foundation Day Medal for his outstanding sporting achievements, courage, commitment, creativity and determination he demonstrated on the field of play. Leinster O'Driscoll made his debut for Leinster in 1999, and under head coach Matt Williams and backs coach Alan Gaffney he became an explosive force in the Leinster backline, forming a highly effective centre partnership with Shane Horgan. In 2001, Leinster won the inaugural Celtic League beating Munster in Lansdowne Road. In 2003, Leinster were heavy favourites for that year's Heineken Cup but were beaten by Perpignan in the semi-finals. Leinster appointed Michael Cheika in the summer of 2005 and despite rumours of O'Driscoll moving to France, O'Driscoll agreed to another year in Ireland. That year, O'Driscoll returning from a shoulder injury suffered on the Lions tour, would assume the captaincy for the season. Under backs coach David Knox and the movement of Argentine international Felipe Contepomi to fly half, the Leinster back line became one of the most potent in Europe. O'Driscoll excelled in wins over Bath Rugby and Toulouse away from home. These victories would set up a Heineken Cup semi-final in Lansdowne Road against Munster, but defeat against the eventual champions Munster would deny O'Driscoll and his team a final berth. Leinster were also denied a Magners League title, with David Humphreys of Ulster slotting an injury time drop goal to give victory to Ulster in their final game of the season. In 2007, Wasps beat Leinster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. In