O’Driscoll dreaming of South Africa as Lions tour looms

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL is relishing the prospect of playing for the Lions in SA in eight months’ time despite his nightmare experience as captain in New Zealand.

The Lions suffered a deflating 3-0 series defeat to the All Blacks in 2005 and O’Driscoll’s tour was infamously ended by a shoulder injury just seconds into the first Test.

But the sour taste left by that incident has long since faded and, energised by Leinster’s Heineken Cup win over Edinburgh on Saturday and Ireland’s autumn itinerary of matches, O’Driscoll is looking forward to another Lions tour. “The players and the fans are fully aware already that this is a Lions season,” he said.