Battling the big chill to continue hot streak

IRISH captain Brian O’Driscoll and fellow centre Gordon D’Arcy have flown to Spala in Poland to continue their rehabilitation from their hamstring injuries.

The injured pair travelled with the Irish team’s athletic trainer, Brian Green, to the specialist cryotherapy centre in Spala, which was previously used by the Irish squad for pre-season training. Runners, footballers and rugby players have all used the facilities in recent years, including Irish walker Jamie Costin, who is trying to recover from injuries sustained in a car crash at last year’s Athens Olympics.

The new treatments reflect the changing face of sports science.