Brian O'Driscoll is set to lead out Ireland for the 50th time on Saturday © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Brian O'Driscoll

Teams: Ireland

For all Brian O'Driscoll's outrageous natural talent, Mike Ruddock insists it is his strong work ethic that has swept him to the brink of a special milestone.

O'Driscoll will captain Ireland for the 50th time in Saturday's clash with New Zealand at Croke Park - only the sixth player to reach the half-century.

The 29-year-old has presided over a golden era in Irish rugby, topped by three Triple Crowns and including cherished victories over Australia, South Africa, England and France.

For five years he has been the heartbeat of the side and he could yet follow in Martin Johnson's footsteps by becoming a double Lions captain.

It was Ruddock, Leinster's director of coaching, who plucked him from University College Dublin in 1999 and selected him for the province's A team.

O'Driscoll went on to win his first cap as a 20-year-old on the summer tour to Australia that same season, making his debut before he had made a senior appearance for Leinster.

But despite appreciating the brilliance that made him the talk of national age-group teams, former Ireland assistant coach Ruddock insists there was little sign of leadership potential.

Instead, that emerged the hard way with O'Driscoll's longevity explained by his attitude.

"I picked Brian after going to watch him play at UCD. What stuck out for me at the time was his incredible acceleration," he said. "At 19, he played a game for Leinster's A team. I wanted to give him a taste rather than push him straight into the first team, only for injury to rule him out of the second game.

"But on the strength of that one match for Leinster A he'd made enough of a splash for him to be taken to Australia. So he actually ended up playing for Ireland before he did for Leinster.

"We were delighted for him because he looked so comfortable each and every time he stepped up a level. He had good hands and great acceleration, which gave him that ability to split defences open.

"But there was nothing to suggest he'd make the impact he did as quickly as he did. Apart from his raw natural ability, what really set him apart was he had this great work ethic to become a professional.

"His leadership qualities weren't immediately apparent. He was quite a young, shy lad who was only interested in doing the right things. He would keep his head down, get on with it and not try to get above his station. He wanted to learn from the senior players.

"At that stage there was nothing to suggest he would become the next captain of Ireland or indeed remain captain for so long. All credit to Brian - he established himself as a senior player and then proved himself to be a leader. He did it that way round."

Ruddock arrived at Leinster in 1997 and left in 2000, the year O'Driscoll trumpeted his arrival as a midfield genius with a stunning hat-trick in Paris.

Spells with Ireland A and the full national team, working alongside Warren Gatland as an assistant to Brian Ashton, saw their relationship stretch beyond the confines of Leinster.

"Brian has developed into a great captain. Anyone who leads their country 50 times and also leads the Lions must have something about him," Ruddock continued. "He's a quality guy, good mannered and well humoured. His crucial attribute is to make good decisions under pressure.

"Motivating others comes easily to him, mainly because he's passionate and vocal."

Ireland's top try-scorer, with 32 in 86 appearances, is among the leading candidates to become only the second player after Johnson to captain the Lions on two tours.

Ruddock believes O'Driscoll, whose form was patchy last year, has a strong hold on the honour but needs a good season to cement his claim.

"Ian McGeechan has been picked as Lions head coach because of his previous Lions experience and there's an argument you should do the same with the captain," he said. "Brian's still playing and is available. He's in pole position. New Zealand on Saturday is a big game for him but the Six Nations will be really crucial."