Drico says Australia move ‘not on my radar’

Make no mistake, Brian O’Driscoll plans on going to Australia next year — but it appears he has no plans to stay too long.

While a spot on Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions touring party is firmly in his sights, it appears that recent reports linking him with a swansong in a New South Wales Waratahs shirt are more fanciful than factual.

For now, anyway.

The link stemmed from the fact that former Leinster coach, Michael Cheika, has spoken of his desire to sign his former captain since taking over the Waratahs while O’Driscoll was himself quoted as saying the Aussie “has my number” in a recent newspaper interview.

Cheika had expanded on the possibility in some detail and even made the point that the Waratahs and O’Driscoll and the Lions all shared a sponsor, HSBC, and that the financial institution may play a part in facilitating the move.

Yesterday the number 13 grinned bashfully when the subject was broached and even had to contend with some teasing words from current coach Joe Schmidt who was seated beside him at a Leinster press conference.

“It was an interview I did a few weeks ago when Michael Cheika was appointed as NSW coach. Aspects have been regurgitated. I’d say ‘never say never’, but it is certainly not on my radar at the moment. I don’t know if I am playing on beyond June. I am contracted until then and I am enjoying it at the moment.

“I have no plans or desires at the moment to go over there. Michael hasn’t been in touch and its best to nip these things in the bud. In years gone by there was a need to do that but I’m 33 now so not any more. It is not a case of Dutch auctions, far from it.”

O’Driscoll was photographed at a Biarritz Olympique-Stade Francais match seven years ago but ultimately committed his “foreseeable future” to Leinster despite claims by the Basque club’s president at the time that he had been considering a move to France.

As was the case then, O’Driscoll’s contract is up for renegotiation at the end of the season but any potential switch abroad would be complicated by the fact that he stands to avail of a substantial tax break if he ends his career in Ireland.