O’Driscoll winning fitness race

IRELAND captain Brian O’Driscoll is making good progress in his effort to prove his fitness to face South Africa at the Aviva Stadium in eight days.

O’Driscoll has been out of action since straining a hamstring in Leinster’s Heineken Cup victory over Racing Metro at the RDS on October 9 and has played no part in training with Ireland during the national squad’s camp in Limerick this week.

The Ireland and Lions centre, though, has been responding well to rehabilitation during his time with Declan Kidney’s squad and Ireland defence coach Les Kiss said yesterday: “Brian is working very hard and over the last two or three days he has put in some good rehab work with the medical staff who are doing a fantastic job there.