Saturday, February 06, 2010
BRIAN O’DRISCOLL insisted last night that he is fit and well to lead Ireland in this afternoon’s RBS Six Nations opener at Croke Park.
This newspaper yesterday reported O’Driscoll had picked up a quad muscle injury in training this week, but when asked if he was happy with his own fitness, O’Driscoll replied monosyllabically: "Yes". Pressed if there was any question about that, he said: "No".
O’Driscoll was supported by Ireland coach Declan Kidney, who declared that he didn’t expect any further problems with a team that has already had Stephen Ferris, Jonny Sexton and Donncha O'Callaghan ruled out by injury.
"We haven’t come out complaining about every bang," he pointed out. "These things happen and you don’t go advertising them. We fully expect them (the present XV) to take part but can I give you 100% assurance that it will happen? No. We’re all human and none of us know how we’re going to wake up in the morning."
Rarely, if ever, have I seen a team written off as much as Italy have been going into this game, although you won’t hear any of that kind of talk from within the Irish camp. O’Driscoll, though, did sound one warning.
"We’ve had only two weeks together and we’re not expecting fireworks from minute one," he stressed. "We won’t be trying our most elaborate plays, we’re just going to try to work our way into the game and give them the respect they deserve and try and grind them down like we would any other side. Test rugby these days is very different to a few years ago. You don’t beat any side in the first 20 minutes.
"You have to grind teams down for 60, 70, 80 minutes. In November, we had to come back and draw with Australia in the last minute, fight off South Africa in the last few minutes and in plenty of other previous games as well. Two years ago, we struggled against Italy and they could have pipped us at the finish, so it just goes to show the difference between teams can be marginal."
Both O’Driscoll and Kidney are happy that O’Callaghan’s replacement, Leo Cullen, will fit neatly into the scheme of things. The coach referred to him as "an exceptional leader, and his reading of the game on top of all the other things he brings to it will be an asset. You’re sorry for Donncha but it’s great for Leo and Donnacha Ryan (who has been drafted into the subs panel) to be getting the chance."
O’Driscoll has known Cullen for a long time, both having attended Blackrock College at much the same time. Interestingly, given the way their careers have gone in the meantime, the 6’6" second-row enjoyed a much higher profile in those days and so it’s hardly surprising that O’Driscoll holds him in very high esteem.
"Leo doesn’t speak for the sake of it," he mused. "He has a wealth of experience and when he does speak, people listen to him. He chooses his words and his thoughts very carefully and is a bit of a nightmare to play against."
Inevitably, the question of living up to or even excelling the standards set last season was raised with O’Driscoll.
"What worked a treat last year was taking it game by game and not focusing beyond that. Maybe we’ve been caught in the past of talking ourselves up or looking to the future and talking about something that was 12 months away or longer. All you’re in control of is the moment and our sole focus is on a good performance, and letting that performance take care of the result."
Italy coach Nick Mallett is looking to the past – when Italy pushed Ireland all the way before losing out 16-11 in 2007 – for inspiration.
"Ireland are the defending champions and a team of the highest level," he said.
"I expect a similar game with respect to two years ago at Croke Park, which marked my first as coach of Italy.
"We need to put pressure on their scrum, be efficient in touch and in our foot play but above all, not give anything to them on defence for the entire 80 minutes."
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