Double injury blow can be overcome

THE ABSENCE of Brian O’Driscoll and Peter Stringer from the Irish side to take on France in the Six Nations Championship at Croke Park tomorrow is a disaster for the players themselves if not quite as serious for the team.

Obviously, no side would like to be without a player of the calibre of O’Driscoll, the best and most inspirational second centre three-quarter in the world, while Stringer’s vast experience garnered in his 73 appearances for Ireland will also make him a huge loss. Being the kind of people they are, O’Driscoll and Stringer will keep their chins up and encourage the remodelled team with the same level of enthusiasm that has for so long characterised their attitudes on the pitch. How they are feeling in their more private moments can only be imagined.

Eddie O’Sullivan owes a debt of gratitude to his medical staff and especially physiotherapist Brian Green for the amazing work they put in to get Shane Horgan back to full fitness two weeks earlier than expected. He now takes over from O’Driscoll in the centre and that comes as a huge relief given that it would have been very difficult to place any degree of confidence in the alternative choice, Andrew Trimble, to shore up this crucial channel.