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Dublin farewelled Brian ODriscoll in style last weekend. The great man sweetened the occasion with a magic effort against Italy, tarnished later only by his rendition of Barry Manilows "Copacabana" in the changing room. While it was a fitting celebration of ODriscoll, theres symmetry in him bowing out of international rugby on Saturday in a likely Six Nations title decider in Paris. Thats where he launched himself on the rugby worlds consciousness in 2000 with a hat trick of tries in Irelands first win there over France in 28 years. To that point, he was an Irish star with 10 tests. Marked for great things as a teen with humility masking a ferocious competitiveness, he made his Ireland debut on the 1999 summer tour of Australia at age 20. Man-of-the-match awards in Irelands first two tour games made him a must-pick opposite Wallabies Dan Herbert and Tim Horan. ODriscoll held his own, and again in that years World Cup, where Ireland exited the group stage, embarrassed by Argentina. That was Ireland rugby then, a graveyard of dreams for more than a decade. But ODriscoll gave the side a world-class talent beside hooker Keith Wood, and a back who could create and score tries and return hope and thrills to Lansdowne Road. It took a 50-point hiding from England in the 2000 Six Nations opener for then-coach Warren Gatland to introduce the likes of John Hayes, Simon Easterby, Peter Stringer and Ronan OGara, who became stars of the new millennium as Irelands fortunes prospered. When France was overcome 27-25, Ireland had three wins in the championship for the first time in 15 years. ODriscolls was the first hat trick by an Irish player in the championship in 47 years. "It was lucky that I was in the right place at the right time," he said with a modesty that remains. ODriscoll has gone on to rack up a world record 140 tests, 139 of them starts, a record 132 for Ireland, the most Six Nations matches (64) and tries (26). He captained Ireland for 10 years to 2012 a record 83 times, and has 47 test tries, a record 46 for Ireland. He played in four World Cups without success, and only one win from four British and Irish Lions tours. Ireland also has won the Six Nations only once, when he scored tries in four of their wins in the 2009 Grand Slam. A second title beckons on Saturday. The statistics reward lasting class. But his legacy interests him more. ODriscoll woke up to the requirements of being professional during his first Lions tour in 2001, a tour de force for him. Hes responsible for revolutionizing Ireland, said captain Paul OConnell, in the team since 2002. "Hes spread confidence across the whole setup," OConnell said. "I grew up watching Ireland in the 90s and maybe that confidence wasnt there when an Irish team took the field. Any team that takes the field with Brian in it always feels they have a chance of winning. "When Brian finishes, that confidence will remain in the Irish setup, because a few players have moulded themselves on him a little bit and realized this is what you need to be to be the all-round rugby player." The 35-year-old ODriscoll has also remodeled himself. He has only one try since the 2011 World Cup, and no longer accelerates through gaps. But where his leg speed has declined, his mind has only sharpened. Ask Italy, victims last weekend. ODriscolls sleight of hand and awareness set up three of Irelands first four tries. He believes his caps records will be broken, and has been grooming potential successors Robbie Henshaw and Darren Cave. Ireland has an abundance of midfield talent, he said. In giving advice, "Hes been generous to a fault," Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said. Where ODriscoll ranks among the great centres is another debate. Some in Ireland still consider him second to Mike Gibson, who retired in 1979, also after 15 years, as the world caps record-holder. No matter. ODriscolls greatness is set. Hell close a circle on Saturday at Stade de France. There, after that hat trick in the stunning victory in 2000, France coach Bernard Laporte said, "We could not stop him." Only time has. Joe Biagini Astros Jersey . - The Jacksonville Jaguars are leaning more toward playing injured quarterback Blake Bortles against Tennessee on Thursday night. Denis Menke Astros Jersey . - Anthony Beauvillier had the winning goal in the third period as the Shawinigan Cataractes edged the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 2-1 on Wednesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play. https://www.cheapastros.com/1693o-ryan-pressly-jersey-astros.html . Campbell, playing on loan with Greek club Olympiacos, found the net with a left-footed shot in the 44th minute off a pass from second-half substitute Jorge Rojas to open the scoring at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica. Francis Martes Jersey . The Blue Jackets announced the injury through their official Twitter account Friday afternoon. Gaborik, 31, has scored five goals and six assists in 17 games with the Blue Jackets in 2013-14. Doug Rader Astros Jersey . -- Jerry Rice Jr. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Derek Norris drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, Scott Kazmir outpitched Martin Perez and the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Tuesday night. The As went ahead to stay on Norris two-run double in the first off Perez (4-1), who had pitched 26 consecutive scoreless innings over his previous three starts. The left-hander had thrown three-hit shutouts his last two games, including at Oakland six days earlier. Kazmir (4-0) tied for the AL lead in wins. He needed 95 pitches to get through five innings, but left with a 9-3 lead. The lefty struck out four and walked one. When Norris added an RBI double to make it 4-0 in the third, the As already had six hits off Perez, who started the night with an AL-best 1.42 ERA. The eight runs allowed by Perez were two more than his combined total his first five starts, and his ERA more than doubled to 2.95. He struck out three and walked three in 4 2-3 innings. Oakland, swept in three games at home by the Rangers last week, has won the first two games in this series that started with the teams tied atop the AL West. At 17-10, the As have the best record in the American League. Texas (15-12) has its first three-game losing streak this season. As right-hander Sonny Gray, who lost in the matchup against Perez last week, reached four wins by throwing a three-hit shutout in the series opener. Gray beat Rangers ace Yu Darvish, who with 3 1-3 innings had the shortest start in three seasons since coming from Japan. Perrez and Torontos Mark Buehrle were the only other AL pitchers who went into Tuesdays games with four wins.dddddddddddd When Craig Gentry led off the second with a triple, the As already had three hits -- matching through seven batters what they got against Perez last week. Gentry scored on a groundout by Josh Reddick, who added a two-run single in Oaklands five-run outburst in the fifth. Perez was gone after issuing a bases-loaded walk to Alberto Callaspo in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Brandon Moss then drew a bases-loaded walk on an eight-pitch at-bat against reliever Jason Frasor before Reddicks single made it 9-1. Alex Rios had an RBI double for Texas in the fourth, but was thrown out trying to come home on a groundball. After the Rangers had consecutive singles to start the fifth, Elvis Andrus sent home a run on a groundout and Prince Fielder had an RBI single. NOTES: It was Texas manager Ron Washingtons 62nd birthday. The Rangers are 0-6 in games on his birthday. ... Kazmirs ERA rose to 2.11 after he entered at 1.62, third-best in the AL. ... Oakland is 11-4 on the road, best in the AL. ... Perezs scoreless streak was the fifth-longest for a Rangers starter. ... There was delay of 1 minute, 38 seconds in the fifth for Washingtons challenge after first-base umpire Laz Diaz ruled a foul ball on Andrus liner down the right-field line just past the infield dirt. The call stood after replay, meaning there was no clear or convincing evidence to overturn it. ' ' '