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The end of the BOD era?

Friday 08th August 2008

Brian O'Driscoll: Ireland's chosen one no longer?

Declan Kidney hinted yesterday that the onset of his period as Ireland's Head Coach could also herald the end of Brian O'Driscoll's as Ireland captain.

O'Driscoll has led the country since the end of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, as well as leading the British and Irish Lions on tour to New Zealand in 2005.

However a slight drop in form over the past twelve months - including criticism of his leadership as the Ireland team unravelled at the 2007 World Cup - has convinced Kidney that O'Driscoll might be better off unburdened.

In his first full press briefing since taking the Ireland job on, at a training camp in Cork, Kidney explained that O'Driscoll's talents might be freer if he were not keeping an eye on the rest of the team.

"Brian and I have been talking and taking a look at things," said Kidney to the Daily Telegraph.

"He's done a very good job as captain but at the same time, you want to give him a small bit of space.

"Come November we'll take a good look at it and we'll see how things are going.

"At the moment, I think it's important that he just gets a chance to concentrate on his own game - because he's been shouldering things for the last five years.

"It wouldn't be usual anyway to name a captain at the start of a coaching set-up. We'll just see how things go and give him a chance to enjoy his own rugby."

Munster duo Paul O'Connell and Ronan O'Gara would be the leading candidates to take over should O'Driscoll lose the captaincy, with O'Connell the more likely of the two candidates, but it is a moot point whether either will still be around and at their peak at the next World Cup in 2011.

Ireland team manager Paul McNaughton also said the proposed Test mooted for Dubai against South Africa in November is now "90 per cent certain not to go ahead".