LEINSTER COACH JOE Schmidt says losing the Ireland captaincy could be a blessing in disguise for Brian O’Driscoll.
O’Driscoll was “very disappointed” but he accepted Declan Kidney’s decision as the Ireland coach confirmed he will stick with Jamie Heaslip for the 2013 Six Nations campaign.
Heaslip stepped in as deputy when the injured O’Driscoll missed the November series tests against South Africa and Argentina last autumn.
But after he returned to action for Leinster earlier this month many expected the 33-year-old centre, who first captained Ireland in 2002, to lead the team again in their tournament opener against Wales on 2 February.
Schmidt, who has had to plan for most of the season without his midfield veteran, feels that passing on the captaincy could be an opportunity as O’Driscoll nears the end of his career.
“It might be an ideal window for him to re-focus on his game and get himself back to full fitness,” Schmidt said today.
Unfortunately this year he’s had a little bit of a chicken run with injury. Sometimes it’s good to just be able to focus on your own job and your own physical condition and make sure you’re right and ready to go.
O’Driscoll has made just eight appearances this season but is expected to be fit for the champions’ final Heineken Cup pool game against Exeter Chiefs this weekend after bouncing back from another ankle injury scare.
“Structurally there’s nothing at all [wrong] with the ankle,” Schmidt said. “There was a bit of swelling to be controlled and if you train on an ankle that’s already swollen, it tends to re-swell so we gave him a bit of time early in the week to get past that period.”
He took full part in training today but there was no chat about the Ireland captaincy, Schmidt said. Kidney spoke with both players on Wednesday evening, he added, before naming his 39-man extended squad for the Six Nations earlier today.
Heaslip was not present at this morning’s announcement but in a short statement said it was an incredible honour to be asked to take over from O’Driscoll.
To get the opportunity again, considering what an inspirational leader Brian is and the other players who could have been chosen to captain the team, is even more humbling.I know Brian as a team-mate and as a friend and I will be relying on his and the other players’ support as we head into the Championship.
O’Driscoll, who previously said that he expects to retire before the 2015 Rugby World Cup, said that at some stage Ireland needed to look to the future.
“I’ve always known that the Rugby World Cup in 2015 was most likely a bridge too far for me, so at some point a player, who will most likely be there for the tournament, needs to build that captaincy experience.
“Jamie will do a fantastic job and along with the other senior players in the leadership group, I will be giving him all of the support that he needs.”
