All Black head coach Henry and Ireland captain O'Driscoll - both members of the failed British and Irish Lions expedition to Australia in 2001 - are poles apart as New Zealand tries to move within one victory of a fourth grand slam.
For Henry, tomorrow's test at the Aviva Stadium could represent a statistical milestone - another All Black triumph would be the 77th of his reign.
It would also bring up a century of test wins as an international rugby coach in a career that began with Wales in 1998.
In stark contrast, O'Driscoll's 106th test represents possibly his last chance to cast a millstone from round his neck: he has endured nine losses to the All Blacks, and then there is the bitterness associated with that tour-ending shoulder injury in Christchurch five years ago.
The tackle that caused it, initiated by Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu, has been consigned to history - Thierry Henry's hand-ball has greater currency as an outlet for Irish dismay in a sporting arena.
But Henry did nominate the second test of the 2005 British and Irish Lions series as among his proudest coaching moments - perhaps due to the atmosphere under which it was achieved.
A week after O'Driscoll was stretchered off Jade Stadium - and the All Blacks' sense of fair play took a body blow - Henry's team responded with a sublime performance to win 48-18 in Wellington.
Henry was originally reluctant to pinpoint the highlights of his coaching career.
Asked if one win stood out among the 99, he laconically referenced the 2007 World Cup quarterfinal with France when replying: "One loss does."
He eventually acknowledged a high number of matches were "special": Wales beating England at Wembley in 1999 to deliver the last Five Nations tournament to Scotland; Welsh victories in Paris in 2000-01 and the All Blacks' last-minute win in Soweto to regain the Tri-Nations crown in August.
Henry (64) said while he was proud of his achievements, they would not have been possible without a host of players and supportive managerial expertise.
"I'm more proud of the players I've worked with," he said.
"Not just Richie [All Black captain McCaw] and Tana and the teams... Smithy and Shag, Mike and Mick, who are fabulous coaches," he said, referring to Wayne Smith, Steve Hansen, scrum guru Mike Cron and kicking specialist Mick Byrne.
"I'm the big-picture man, the strategy man," he said. "They add the technical abilities to the players and team, that seems to work very well."
It is a formula the Irish are still trying to reproduce as they contemplate 105 barren years - 22 losses and a draw - against the All Blacks.
O'Driscoll's first loss to the All Blacks dovetailed with McCaw's debut in 2001.
He might have captained Ireland to a grand slam and the Triple Crown but, at 31, arguably the greatest centre of his generation bristles when asked about the one win that always gets away from his team.
"It's there but what's the point of thinking about something like that?" he said when asked if this might be his last chance.
"I haven't decided how long I'm going to play for, so it's not as though [it's] in the back of my head."
Pressed on how Ireland might beat the All Blacks, O'Driscoll said: "Every time you play the All Blacks, you need to play one of your better games in a green jersey, and you have to play 80 minutes.
"It's about playing smart."
Graham Henry's test coaching record
• Tests: 128; wins 99, losses 28, draws 1
• Wales (1998-2002): Played 36, won 22, lost 13, drew 1
• British and Irish Lions (2001): Played 3, won 1, lost 2.
• All Blacks (2004-10): Played 89, won 76, lost 13
ALL BLACKS v IRELAND
- Dublin, tomorrow, 6.30am
• Ireland: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Mick O'Driscoll, Donncha O'Callaghan, Tom Court, Rory Best, Cian Healey.
Reserves: Sean Cronin, John Hayes, Devin Toner, Denis Leamy, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, Keith Earls.
• All Blacks: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Daniel Carter, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Tom Donnelly, Anthony Boric, Owen Franks, Hika Elliot, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Andrew Hore, John Afoa, Sam Whitelock, Liam Messam, Alby Mathewson, Stephen Donald, Sonny Bill Williams.
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa).
