Still freshness in camp, says BOD

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL was refreshingly open at the captain’s table in Killiney yesterday — from thoughts on life without Gordon, to candidly relating how the negative reaction to Saturday’s win over Italy impacts upon the squad, and explaining why there is “freshness” in camp despite rumours of players working in a stale environment.

And the Dubliner also said he would welcome the addition of a backs coach.

O’Driscoll will team up with Andrew Trimble in a new Irish midfield against Les Bleus on Saturday, but understandably he’ll miss the telepathic relationship that exists with Leinster colleague Gordon D’Arcy who must endure up to three months on the sidelines following an arm fracture against Italy. O’Driscoll can empathise with D’Arcy’s predicament.