O'Driscoll raring to go

Brian O’Driscoll is ready to have his ’A game’ with him on arrival in South Africa today for the eagerly-awaited British and Irish Lions tour.

The Ireland captain has allayed fears over a shoulder injury he suffered during Leinster’s Heineken Cup final victory against Leicester on Saturday.

And while his tour bow will be delayed until after next weekend’s opener against a Royal XV in Rustenburg, the 2005 Lions skipper cannot wait to get started.

“I am really looking forward to getting out on the training pitch,” said O’Driscoll, whose Leinster colleagues Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and Jamie Heaslip, Leicester pair Harry Ellis and Tom Croft, plus Northampton prop Euan Murray will sit out the first game following their European final commitments.

“You have to bring your ’A game’ with you every day on a Lions tour, and that is the exciting thing.”

O’Driscoll scored a memorable solo try when the Lions last won a Test match - against Australia in Brisbane almost eight years ago – and he knows world champions South Africa will pose an immense challenge during a three-game series that starts in Durban on June 20.

“You’ve got to want to play for each other,” he added.

“All successful teams want to play for each other and fight for the guy next to you. It’s about creating a bond, having a good game-plan and a bit of luck.

“A Lions tour needs to progress quickly – we need to be in it together.”

O’Driscoll has led Ireland to the RBS 6 Nations title in Grand Slam fashion and been an integral part of Leinster conquering Europe this season – and his sights are now set on completing a remarkable hat-trick with Test series glory.

“Until three months ago I hadn’t really won anything, and then all of a sudden I’ve got a Grand Slam and a European Cup,” he said.

“It has been one after another. I am very motivated and the goal is to try and win a Test series and be a part of that.”

O’Driscoll, meanwhile, moved quickly to dispel any thoughts of injury stalling his progress on tour.

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

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

“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.”

Lions head coach Ian McGeechan delivered an upbeat message as his squad left their Surrey training base with the ultimate goal of emulating the 1997 squad - also coached by McGeechan – and defeating the Springboks on home territory.

“We’ve had a great week,” he said. “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 has travelled together. 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.”