Captain or not, Drico will lead by example

Brian O’Driscoll claimed his man of the match award and insisted losing the Ireland captaincy does not make a difference to his game or his leadership.

Having been replaced as skipper a fortnight ago when head coach Declan Kidney appointed Jamie Heaslip to the role for this year’s RBS 6 Nations, O’Driscoll made an emphatic return to life back in the ranks when he made the first and scored his team’s third and final try in Ireland’s victory over reigning champions Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

It was a performance that earned him the official man of the match award and silenced any misgivings that displeasure at being relieved of the captaincy would see the 34-year-old giving anything less than total commitment on his 121st Test appearance.