O'Sullivan won't give up on star centres

Eddie O’Sullivan expects his Scottish counterpart Matt Williams will be “rubbing his hands together” at the prospect of facing an Ireland side minus star centres Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy.

O'Sullivan has put the hamstring-stricken duo on a 24-hour rehabilitation plan in a bid to race them back to fitness for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations sell-out clash at Murrayfield.

And while Williams, who coached both players to Celtic League success at Leinster in 2002, may point to their inclusion in yesterday’s Ireland squad as little more than mind games, an upbeat O’Sullivan has insisted their odds on recovering are “reasonable”.

O’Sullivan, hoping for a fifth straight win over the Scots, said: “They both have a chance of making it, otherwise we would not be naming them in the squad. They both have mild strains, not tears.

“The doctors have got to be pretty happy that they are going to come through and if they are not – we will not risk them. There is a possibility that a mild strain could become a tear so it is a nightmare situation for a coach really.

“But it is how you manage these things that really counts. We have our rehab specialist Brian Green working with them 24-7. The good thing is that we can work on them and the more we do, the quicker they can recover.”

Their inclusion would certainly make O’Sullivan’s 40th game at the helm an easier ride in Edinburgh, against what he expects to be a Scottish side with a lot to play for.

“Scotland changed their defence from the autumn to a more aggressive one against the French,” O’Sullivan added. I think it paid off and they would have been disappointed they did not take more advantage of what was a poor French display. Scottish heads will not be down though. They did a lot of good things.

“They held onto the ball very well. They used the corners very well to keep the ball behind France, and they had a very good lineout – they always have had.”

Ireland’s one definite change sees Johnny O’Connor regain the openside berth from Munster’s Denis Leamy.

O’Sullivan insisted: “Denis has not been dropped because he had a bad game. It is a kind of a horses for courses selection. It is probably the one area of the team where we can do that with the quality of player we have there.”

Wasps flanker O’Connor – who made his debut against South Africa in November - recognises his third cap as an opportunity he has to take.

“I am back in and I think I am due a big game – it is a great chance for me, ahead of a lot of quality back rows in the country,” he said.

“I am relishing it really. It is a big task going to Scotland looking for a result, as they are very tough at home but we have done it before and there is no reason we cannot do it again.”