O’Driscoll here to stay
O’Driscoll has ambitions to play in the French championship and had considered moving to the Continent next June, when his current contract with the IRFU expires.
But the Ireland captain does not agree with the “flogging” he sees many players receive in countries - like England and France - where the club game holds great influence.
O’Driscoll is a firm believer in Ireland’s central contracts system and the IRFU’s player management system seems to have been a major factor in his decision to stay with Leinster until the 2007 World Cup.
O’Driscoll said: “Each country has to look after their players and get the most out of their players.
“I think each country has to get the right balance. There is only so much flogging you can do. You need a bit of carrot as well as stick.
“Clubs in England are totally focused on winning their club trophies whereas it is the national team that takes precedence over everything else in Ireland.”
“We are very fortunate in Ireland that we are looked after as players. We don’t play when we are injured. I won’t be playing the same number of games as the guys in England. I am sure I won’t play over 30 games in a season even if I am fully fit throughout.
Even though he could now be a thorn in Munster’s side over the next two and a half years, Munster coach Declan Kidney warmly welcomed O’Driscoll’s decision. It means, of course, the Irish captain will spearhead many Leinster attacks against his side, and the first will almost certainly be in the Celtic League at the RDS on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s great news for Ireland,” Kidney enthused. “We want to keep our best players in the country and a big effort was made three or four years ago to bring players back home. We now have top-class games; our recent meeting with Ulster was a cracker; disappointing for us but as good a game as you’d find in any league. We’re competing well in Europe and the crowds are coming to matches and I don’t think they’d be coming if they weren’t enjoying themselves.
“I think it’s a very positive move.”
Munster skipper Anthony Foley has been an international teammate of O’Driscoll’s and they have also been opponents many times. Just as O’Driscoll has often lauded Foley, the Munster man reciprocated:
“It’s great the IRFU has been able to keep such a world-class player at home and great that we’ll be able to play against him more often,” he commented, tongue in cheek. “He’s a brilliant player. He obviously has such depth in his play and then there’s the work he does when he doesn’t have the ball in his hand, the poaching and the tackling he puts in; he’ll dig it out with the best of them, so he’s got an all-round game and is a great signing for Leinster and, of course, Ireland.”
There is further good news on the horizon with the likely return of Paul O’Connell to the Munster team to play Connacht in the Celtic League at Thomond Park on December 27.
Kidney revealed: “He has been doing a bit of training and getting involved more and more in the training sessions. That’s a great tribute to Fergal O’Callaghan and Sean Whitney, who have done excellent work with him. It depends on how comfortable he is taking the ball.
The O’Driscoll announcement could herald a step-up in the battle to keep as many Irish players as possible on home soil next season.
Three months ago, in the wake of O’Driscoll’s much-publicised trip to Biarritz, it emerged that at least nine Irish internationals were out of contract with the IRFU at the end of June.
Yesterday the IRFU refused to reveal how many senior internationals and provincial players’ contracts were up at the end of the season. One spokesman claimed it would be tantamount to putting them “in the shop window.”
Malcolm O’Kelly and Denis Hickie are two of the senior internationals whose contracts are close to expiry but the retention of O’Driscoll is a huge boost to the IRFU’s negotiating strength and could persuade others their careers would be best served at home.
“It is the ongoing determination of the IRFU to keep the leading players at home and manage their welfare,” read yesterday’s IRFU release. “It is, therefore, most pleasing to see that a player of Brian’s standing has committed himself to both club and country.”
The magnitude of O’Driscoll’s renewed commitment was put into perspective by Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson: who said: “I’m delighted that Brian has committed himself to Leinster Rugby. This will be a great boost to all involved with the team.”
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