Welsh encore just what the doctor ordered for Roberts

THE last nine months in the careers of Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts have largely been defined by the fact that one has spent much more time in hospital than he would like, whereas the other has not patrolled the wards as much as he should.

The best Lions centre partnership in a generation have both endured testing times since Wales ended Ireland’s World Cup hopes in October, but for differing reasons.

For O’Driscoll it has been thesurgeon’s knife, as Ireland’s skipper underwent an operation to release a trapped nerve in his shoulder that has ruled him out until May. For Roberts, the scalpel, the stethoscope and the study books, as he returned to his medicine degree after taking six months off to focus on Wales’ run to the semi-final in New Zealand.

For now, the reunion will have to wait as O’Driscoll continues his convalescence. So the challenge is for Declan Kidney’s men to avenge their World Cup quarter-final defeat to the Welsh dragon without their talisman. Test don’t come much harder.

“From a team viewpoint I don’t think we have put together a more complete performance than that victory in Wellington,” explains Roberts with a slow smile creeping across his face.

“That game was the most emotionally charged I have ever played in. Wales against Ireland in a World Cup quarter-final — it doesn’t get much bigger than that for the home nations. I’m sure the Irish boys will be looking to use the motivation of losing that game to drive them forward in the Six Nations.

“But we will be trying to use the motivation from losing to France in the semi-final by a point to drive us forward.

“We will try and produce the perfect performance again, because anything short of that and we will certainly lose.It will be a very closely fought game. It is very hard to picka winnerin the Six Nations. It will be one of the most closely fought and most anticipated in a long time. Brian is injured and that will be a big blow forIreland. He is in thetwilight of his career and it will do Irelandno harm to blood some younger players.It’s veryimportant that whoever steps in for them and does the job and hopes to keep the jersey to make sure Brian has to fight his way back into the team. Having an unknownquantity in your team can work in your favour, or itcan work against you. It’sinteresting.”

Yet for O’Driscoll withIreland, read Shane Williams with Wales. The wing retired last year, but his replacement is already a force to be reckoned with in the shape of 6’4”, 17 stone George North — who can run 100m in just over 11 seconds.

“Brian is very similar to Shane for us, one of those players capable of game-changing moments,” adds Roberts. “They have an impact in those critical moments in games that only experience can buy you, and Brian is the most experienced centre in British rugby.

“As for George, he is a pretty special talent. As an athlete I have never seen anyone scarier than him.

“Put him in space and he is very dangerous. At 19 he’s incredible — it’s just pretty scary what he can achieve.”

In the immediate future, though, the only thing that scares Roberts are his University finals, scheduled for March next year.

The 25-year-old is also out of contract with the Cardiff Blues at the end of next season, and it is understandable that the riches on offer in France are hugely tempting.

He adds: “I’d pretty much forgotten everything after six months ofconcentrating on the World Cup, but now I’m back in hospital and I’m really enjoying it.

“Some players get a release from rugby through playing PlayStation, spending time with their families or just sleeping on the sofa. I get mine through thinking and problem solving — medicine is perfect for that. I will be at a big crossroads in my career at the end of next season. I will be 26 then and a massive chapter of mylife will come to a close as far aseducation is concerned. There are big decisions to be made but I just need to focus on the here and now and make them when I have to.”