Kearney says brave BOD must battle on

Bruised and battered he may be but talismanic centre Brian O’Driscoll still has at least another year of top-level rugby to offer to Ireland, team-mate Rob Kearney believes.

Amid speculation that O’Driscoll, 34, may have played his last home game for Ireland last Saturday against France, full-back Kearney yesterday warned his Leinster clubmate not to regret calling it quits on a sport he has graced since 1999, winning 124 caps for his country and a further six for the British & Irish Lions.

As 2013 Lions head coach Warren Gatland observed Irish training yesterday at Carton House ahead of Saturday’s final Six Nations game, against Italy in Rome, O’Driscoll moved a step closer to proving his fitness for the Stadio Olimpico and perhaps the summer tour to Australia. Then he would join fellow Irish legends Mike Gibson and Willie John McBride as a four-time Lions tourist. In addition to a lacerated ear that required eight stitches and a dead leg, the former captain suffered a concussion in the 13-13 draw against France but yesterday completed the latest stage of the required return to play protocols concerning head injuries.