“It’s better than them chanting one less year,” says a self-effacing Brian O’Driscoll of the recent RDS trend of demanding more of his time. As he adds up the positives and negatives of playing for one more year or not, every aspect is being put on the scales.
More definitively the decision of Leinster to bring Matt O’Connor from Leicester meets with the centre’s approval. That’s another one for the positive side, which appears to be growing.
The crowd pulling on the emotions, his carefully managed body, his new family life, Joe Schmidt getting bumped up to the Irish job and now O’Connor coming to the RDS adds up to a stash of things that could sway O’Driscoll. Oh yes, and the Lions Tour. Watch that one closely.
O'Driscoll was not for any declarations yesterday but he has spoken to O'Connor and he has made contact with several people who know his methods. That basic covering of ground hasn't changed anything but it does give encouragement. "I think the admiration I have for Joe . . . there's part of me that thinks the capabilities he's given sides he's been involved with I wouldn't want to miss out on that," he says about the temptation of Ireland next season.
But with Leinster, he expects another layer will be added on to the team when O'Connor arrives. "It's an exciting prospect," he says. "I've spoken to Matt. He clearly knows his rugby. I've spoken to people that have worked with him and they only have good things to say about him . . . so he definitely has ideas about how he would change a few things."
Additions
O'Connor will not rebuild Leinster in the manner of a golfer rebuilding his swing. But he will add to what Schmidt has done. O'Driscoll reminds us Leinster are in the Challenge Trophy, not the Heineken Cup. He believes the team are good enough to be selective about ambitions and to expect to be knocking about in the premier European competition in May.
“I think he (O’Connor) is inheriting a team that has a good drive and desire and one that works hard to put themselves in a position to go well. But we just need a bit of shape and some systems to be put in place to get us into situations,” adds O’Driscoll. “I think he is very capable of delivering those things on top of the work that Joe has done.”
Schmidt has not spoken to O’Driscoll for a few weeks but the New Zealander’s different philosophy coming in at national level is also a motivator. “Definitely Joe getting the job is a positive from the point of view of having an added incentive to be involved in an Irish jersey, knowing what coaching he will deliver,” adds O’Driscoll.
