Aussies worried by O'Driscoll

Brian O’Driscoll may not have yet replicated the stunning form he showed for the British and Irish Lions the last time he was Down Under, but he still has the Australians worried.

And, according to Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan, with good reason.

The 24-year-old outside-centre, who made his debut against the Wallabies in 1999 and took the 2000 Six Nations championship by storm, announced himself as a world star during the Lions tour here two years ago.

All of Australia now expect wondrous individual brilliance from him, but O’Driscoll is a marked man in every game and has found it hard to reach those heights during Ireland’s opening three ties of this World Cup.

But O’Sullivan is unconcerned, insisting that Ireland still draw immense benefit from the Leinsterman’s presence even if he is not making the number of breaks or scoring the weight of tries for which he is famed.

“I think everyone around the world respects him as an incredible game-breaker with ball in hand, but in recent times his game has rounded out,” said O’Sullivan.

“He is putting people in space, which is the perfect foil. If people close him down he can put other people in. That is the part of the game that he has been working on.”

Ireland meet Australia on Saturday in the Pool A finale, a match that will decide who enters the quarter-finals as group winners and who has to play the ever-dangerous French.

O’Sullivan will not risk anyone against the Wallabies who is not fully fit but it nevertheless remains a crunch encounter – just the stage he believes is ideal for O’Driscoll.

“He is a pressure player, he does deliver under pressure, which makes him a special player,” said O’Sullivan.

“He is still very young, 24 years of age, he has captained his country and got a Lions tour under his belt so he is very mature in rugby terms.

“I think all that makes him a very interesting player to look at and watch and the attraction is for everyone to see Brian O’Driscoll in action.

“Everyone remembers his performances for the Lions here which made a huge impression. He has got a phenomenal career ahead of him.”

And the impression O’Driscoll left Down Under, particularly as he danced through the Wallaby defence to effectively seal the first Test for the Lions, is just the reason Jones is wary.

“He’s probably been below his best during this tournament so far but with a guy like him that he might be only one ball touch away from being at his peak,” said the Australia coach.

“He’s a great athlete and I think he’s going to really respond to a fast surface in Melbourne.”

O’Sullivan admitted the Irish would need to improve on their performance against Argentina if they are to test the Wallabies.

But the squad will draw strength from their victory over Australia at Lansdowne Road last November and head into the game with the belief they can do it again.

“We have a good history against Australia. We have got to believe we can win this game. It’s a very difficult task but a possibility said O’Sullivan.

“I think we were a bit away (from where we will need to be) last Sunday but you have to look at the team we played.

“If you play Argentina you get sucked into that game whether you like it or not and it is a very difficult game to play.

“But had we been more astute in our execution we might have scored another try or two.”