Brian O’Driscoll bade farewell to the Aviva Stadium a decade ago with a memorable last appearance in Dublin in Ireland’s Six Nations victory over Italy.

O’Driscoll’s vintage sleight of hand inspired a seven-try, 46-7 win to set up a title decider against France.

The then 35-year-old marked his world-record 140th Test cap by deftly setting up tries for Johnny Sexton and Andrew Trimble.

Chants of “one more year” rang around the ground at the final whistle, but O’Driscoll’s summer retirement was set in stone.

The outside centre, who made his Ireland Test debut in 1999, said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better close to playing at home in an Irish jersey.

“To score 46 points and only concede one try, it really made the day what it was. I’ll remember that for a very long, long time. I got emotional at the end, it was hard to take it all in.

“I think maybe when I go back and look over it again, I’ll probably get more emotional then. But it was very, very special, if a little embarrassing, but it was still great.”

O’Driscoll had a fairytale ending to his international career, with Ireland defeating France in Paris the following weekend for only the second time in 42 years to claim the Six Nations title.

He continued playing for Leinster until the end of May, with his final appearance coming in their Pro12 Grand Final victory over Glasgow Warriors.

Antoine Dupont has been named the 2023 Six Nations Player of the Championship, while grand slam victors Ireland dominate the Team of the Championship.

France’s scrum-half is just the third player to win the award back-to-back, and only the second to claim it three times after also winning in 2020.

It puts him alongside Brian O’Driscoll, who won in 2006, 2007 and 2009, after receiving 26 per cent of the fan vote.

He edged out team-mates Thomas Ramos and Damian Penaud – leading try-scorer of the 2023 Championship with five – as well as Irish trio Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan and Mack Hansen who were also shortlisted.

The Team of the Championship also sported a blue and green flavour with a combined 13 players named between the two teams after their superb performances.

Lock Thibaud Flament was the only non-Irishman included the forward pack, while Dupont was partnered with Johnny Sexton at fly-half after the latter ended his final Six Nations tournament with victory. 

Penaud, Doris, Keenan and Hansen were all also included, with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Finlay Bealham completing a front row lockout for Ireland among the selections.

Scotland centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones marked the only representation from beyond Andy Farrell and Fabien Galthie's sides, following an impressive campaign that saw Gregor Townsend's men come third.

Ireland and France will now set their sights on a successful World Cup campaign later this year, with the latter set to play host when the tournament begins in September.

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