O'Driscoll aware of Gatland skills

Brian O’Driscoll believes Warren Gatland’s careful nurturing of Welsh confidence has underpinned their push for a Grand Slam.

Unbeaten Wales meet O’Driscoll’s Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday in a Test that will determine whether the balance of power between the Celtic rivers has shifted.

The Welsh have responded magnificently to the prompting of Gatland and his lieutenant Shaun Edwards and would remain in the RBS 6 Nations title chase regardless of Saturday’s outcome.

O’Driscoll made his Test debut in 1999 when Gatland was 18 months into his reign as Ireland coach and believes the canny Kiwi has been busy massaging Wales’ psyche.

“I owe a lot to Warren as he did bring me into the international fray as a 20-year-old and gave me an opportunity,” he said.

“I’m sure he’s developed massively as a coach since he was in charge of Ireland.

“He’s giving Wales the scope to go and play the way that they know they can - to plan an open, expansive and exciting game.

“They’re quite a skilful team with tremendous passing ability. They can be devastating at times.

“A lot of the time it’s just about giving teams the confidence to express themselves and I’m sure that’s what Warren’s done.”

The collision at Croke Park will be as much about the personalities on the sidelines as the conflict on the pitch with Gatland driven by a sense of unfinished business.

The acrimonious manner in which he was dumped by Ireland in 2001 continues to gnaw at his pride, as does successor Eddie O’Sullivan’s role in his downfall.

O’Sullivan is entering his seventh year as Ireland boss and has enjoyed a far higher success rate – 66% compared to 46% – but O’Driscoll admits Ireland’s talent pool has grown since Gatland’s time.

“It seems like an eternity ago since Warren was coach of the national team,” he said.

“Maybe I’ve taken too many knocks to the head over the years but I don’t remember those days very well.

“He knew how to get the best of a side. I don’t think we had the same player capabilities back then as we do now.

“But we still managed to bring in some big performances, especially when we were against the ropes a bit.”

Wales have dispatched England, Scotland and Italy so far in the Six Nations, creating a momentum that O’Driscoll knows will make them formidable adversaries at Croke Park.

“The form Wales have shown is very similar to 2005, the year they won the Grand Slam,” he said.

“They’ve developed and their momentum has really swept them along.

“They produced a big win in the opener game against England and ensured they started the Six Nations on the right footing.

“They’ve certainly grown in confidence and that’s very much the Welsh way. The more they’re allowed to play the better they get.”