O'Driscoll raring to go

Brian O’Driscoll has reported for duty with the South Africa-bound British and Irish Lions – and dismissed any fears about his tour fitness.

O’Driscoll and his Heineken Cup-winning Leinster colleagues Luke Fitzgerald, Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney joined the Lions at their Surrey training base prior to tonight’s Johannesburg flight.

The Ireland captain suffered a shoulder injury during yesterday’s Murrayfield victory over Leicester, prompting worries that he might become a sixth pre-tour casualty.

Tom Shanklin, Tomas O’Leary, Jerry Flannery and the suspended Alan Quinlan have already fallen by the wayside, while Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny has returned home for intensive treatment on a thigh injury before hoping to join the Lions early next month.

O’Driscoll, the 2005 Lions skipper, was spear-tackled out of that Test series against New Zealand inside a minute of the opening All Blacks showdown in Christchurch.

But he insists he is fit and ready to pitch himself into battle during the Lions’ 10-game expedition into world champion Springbok territory.

“You get ’stingers’ and that sort of thing in games – I’ve had a few of them,” he said.

“It is just a matter of managing it and treating it in the best possible way and getting yourself ready for the Saturday, because not too many Test matches or other games are won on a Monday or a Tuesday.

“I am very motivated, and the goal is to try to win a Test series and to be a part of that.”

O’Driscoll was involved in the last two Lions trips – losing Test series experiences in Australia and New Zealand – but he refuses to be burdened by history.

“I put all that (2005) to bed a long time ago,” he added.

“The only thing I look about trying to put something right on this tour is winning.

“It is not about being involved in the squad or touring South Africa and having a great time – it is about winning a Test series – that is the bottom line.

“Certainly, we should have won that series (against Australia) in 2001, and the more I look back on it the more regretful you are about it.

“You realise how tough series wins are to grasp against one of the three big nations in the world.”

Lions head coach Ian McGeechan admitted the sight of O’Driscoll requiring treatment caused a scare in the camp.

“I must admit I did have a second look when Brian went down,” said McGeechan.

“He is fine. These guys are experienced players – they know their bodies, not only for rugby tactics but for management as well.”

The Lions headed for Heathrow after a final media session on the terrace of their hotel, with many of the players joined by their wives, partners and children, reflecting the nature of a tour that manager Gerald Davies wants to develop.

Flannery, having undergone elbow surgery on Friday, was also present, together with the squad’s latest recruit – Wales back James Hook.

Hook was in a Swansea restaurant celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday on Friday night when the call came from McGeechan to join the tour party.

It is understood the final call came down to a straight choice between Hook and England fly-half Danny Cipriani, although prolific Scotland goalkicker Chris Paterson had also been in the mix.

McGeechan, meanwhile, delivered an upbeat departure message as the Lions set off, targeting a first Test series triumph since he masterminded their 1997 glory at South Africa’s expense.

McGeechan said: “We’ve had a great week. Training has been excellent, and as coaches, we are happy with where we are.

“It is as good as it has ever been on any of the Lions tours I’ve been involved in.

“A lot of it is down to the players and their approach and attitude, which is why it has been such a good start. They have given us the start we needed.

“There are no other injuries, and everyone travels together tonight. I said we would leave as one group and that we would leave fully fit.

“There isn’t a player we’ve got who is unavailable for selection.

“We have got some good work in this week, we have trained twice a day doing different things and I am very conscious of managing the players.

“I would like to think I’ve done that at club level, and I am not going to change my approach to that in a Lions context.

“I want these players 100%, or as near as we can possibly make it, when they play.”

McGeechan confirmed that none of his Leinster or Leicester contingent would be considered for the opening tour game against a Royal XV in Rustenburg next Saturday, together with Scotland prop Euan Murray, who featured in Northampton’s European Challenge Cup victory over Bourgoin on Friday night.