O’Driscoll fighting to be fit for French test
Leinster sources last night revealed that the Irish skipper did not fracture his jaw in Ireland’s 29-9 win over Argentina on Sunday, as was feared in the aftermath of the game.
However the centre still faces a three to five-week spell on the sideline before he can return to contact.
He is certain to miss the province’s away trip against the French champions, along with a number of Magners League ties, including tonight’s clash with Llanelli Scarlets in Parc y Scarlets.
However O’Driscoll’s in-form midfield partner Gordon D’Arcy is set to play tonight alongside Eoin O’Malley, while Ireland’s half backs Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton are also available.
D’Arcy’s availability means that Fergus McFadden moves to the wing and forms a back three alongside Shane Horgan and Isa Nacewa. Mike Ross starts in a pack containing a mix of youth and experience. Devin Toner, the province’s latest Ireland international, starts in the second rowalongside skipper Leo Cullen, with Rhys Ruddock forming an exciting looking young back row alongside Dominic Ryan and Sean O’Brien.
Ruddock is determined his return to Wales will be a positive experience and believes Leinster can learn from the defeat by Ospreys last weekend.
“It was always going to be a difficult game against the Ospreys and they had a very strong side with an aggressive defence. The positive that we took from the game was that they didn’t beat our defensive cover.
“We were disappointed to lose the game and we know that we have to be more clinical, especially in the last 20 minutes. Had we kept our composure we could have got more out of the game, so that is an area we have addressed this week. The two challenges facing us this week were the short five-day turnaround and obviously the poor weather which has struck the province. Because of the snow, training on the field has been limited, but because of the close proximity of matches we mightn’t have done an awful lot of work on our feet anyway, so we just got on with our preparations. In any event, there was a freshness and a buzz around the squad this week with the return of the Ireland internationals, as well as that of Mariano (Galarza) and Hinesy (Nathan Hines) with Scotland.
“Something that Joe (Schmidt) spoke about this week was the need for everyone to add to the squad and improve it ahead of a big month for Leinster. The international guys appreciate the effort that has been put in over the last few weeks and it strengthens the competition.”
Meanwhile Mayo businessman Jimmy Staunton, whose family own Elverys Sports and Rugbytech, will today be unveiled as the head of the new board charged with overseeing professional rugby in Connacht.
A press conference disclosing details of the new agreement with the IRFU, scheduled for Galway today, has been cancelled due to the bad weather.
Instead, Connacht chief executive Gerry Kelly and coach Eric Elwood will discuss details at a noon briefing in the Sportsground in Galway while IRFU president Caleb Powell, chief executive Phillip Browne and Irish coach Declan Kidney will hold a press conference at Lansdowne Road.
Jimmy Staunton will head-up the board that will also include former Connacht and Ireland scrum-half Conor McGuinness, Ballina solicitor Pat O’Connor, Athlone accountant Liam Rattigan, last year’s Connacht president Steve Cunningham, former Galwegians chairman Simon Heaslip and marketing director Damian Devaney from Sligo.
This Professional Game Board will oversee Connacht for the next three years as they bid to close the gap between them and the other provinces.
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