O’Driscoll back for unfinished business

RABODIRECT PRO12 FINAL:

The man himself said as much not so long ago by pointing to the absence of the Webb Ellis Cup from his CV as well as Ireland’s continued inability to break their duck against the All Blacks though he himself has had a dozen goes at changing that.

The Pro12 is another on the ‘to do’ list. True, O’Driscoll has won the ‘domestic’ competition twice before: once when it was the plain old Celtic League back in 2002 and again six years later by which time it had morphed into Magners.

Yet, that was then. Leinster’s luck in the ‘bread and butter’ competition has been less kind this past three seasons, all of which have ended with them reaching the final but looking on disconsolate as another set of players was handed the trophy.

Gordon D’Arcy admitted the hat-trick of losses stand as a black mark against a side that has otherwise been Europe’s most consistent in modern times and O’Driscoll has revealed they are “desperate” to avoid an unwanted four in a row.

It was Ospreys, twice, and Munster who had their number when it mattered most and the sight of O’Driscoll slumped on the RDS turf 12 months ago after the Welsh region thieved the title remains vivid.

“It was the manner in which we lost the game [that really hurt],” said O’Driscoll yesterday after confirming his full recovery from a back spasm that saw him miss last week’s Amlin Challenge Cup decider.

“We were in control of it. We were nine points up with eight minutes to play and you should usually have the ability to see out those sort of games.

“We managed to concede a penalty and once a team is within six points of you, it’s game on so we lacked the ability to close it out. It was sickening the manner in which it happened and took the shine off our victory the previous week. I wouldn’t say it stayed with me for the year or that it haunts me but I look back on it definitely as one that got away.”

Joe Schmidt has given his side the best possible chance of remedying those past misfortunes by entrusting some of his younger players with starting berths last weekend against Stade Francais but the omens for tomorrow’s Irish derby at the RDS are mixed.

Ulster have already bettered Leinster twice this season and have had two weeks to plan their assault while Leinster did battle against the French but then O’Driscoll didn’t feature in either of those aforementioned interpro defeats which must count for something, even if assistant coach Jono Gibbes believes it was up front where those defeats were born.

Gibbes spoke too of the boost that was O’Driscoll’s decision to play on beyond summer, and of his influence on the younger players, and that will all but certainly continue this weekend should Ian Madigan partner him at centre in the absence of D’Arcy.

D’Arcy’s absence is undoubtedly a blow to player and team alike and yet the opportunity to continue Madigan’s education at 12 at the end of a season where he has seen considerable game time at 10 and 15 is sure to serve Leinster well when he assumes the out-half slot from Jonny Sexton.

“He definitely has the capability to play both [positions] and that is great for his game,” said O’Driscoll.

“When you are able to play 10 and 12 you really put your hand up to be involved in the starting 15 and I have been a big believer that we get a bit pigeon-holed sometimes in Ireland in one position. You see the French players are capable of playing two or three different positions and as a result guys get picked more for the national team. So, Ian is able to play 10, 12 and he played 15 for us, so if you are not in the starting XV, then you are a pretty good bench player too.”