O’Driscoll eager to lay down World Cup marker
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BRIAN O'DRISCOLL has called on Ireland to show the type of intensity they hope to bring to the World Cup when they run out to face France at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
O'Driscoll leads a side that shows 10 changes from the one that lost 19-12 to the French in Bordeaux and, after missing the first two warm-up internationals through injury, is delighted to be back and keen to lay down a marker for New Zealand.
"It's great to be back," he said. "It's always difficult sitting out Test matches. I never like missing out and this will be a special occasion.
"There is certainly an onus on trying to win, definitely, but it's also about game time and getting up to speed. We have to have the right mentality, so the intensity and physicality has to be there. We need to treat this as anything but a friendly, try to stamp our authority and play the brand of rugby we hope to play at the World Cup."
Ireland have a solitary win from their last 11 matches against the French and O'Driscoll accepted they have found France tough opponents.
"France are a very difficult side to play against," he said. "We have found it hard and you have to be able to match them physically. The big thing is how we start the game -- we need to get on top and play with fluidity and freedom."
Declan Kidney has gone with a powerful selection, featuring 13 of the team that started the impressive victory over England at the end of the Six Nations. Felix Jones at full-back and scrum-half Tomas O'Leary are the two differences, with Gordon D'Arcy cleared to start in midfield alongside O'Driscoll.
Flanker Stephen Ferris makes a welcome return to the bench alongside Connacht's Mike McCarthy, but Tommy Bowe has been held back until next week as he recovers from an injured foot.
With Kidney due to announce his 30-man World Cup squad on Monday, tonight's clash between an Ireland Select XV and Connacht and Saturday's Test are the last opportunities to run the rule over his contenders.
IRELAND (v France) -- F Jones; A Trimble, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, K Earls; J Sexton, T O'Leary; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; S O'Brien, D Wallace, J Heaslip. Reps: J Flannery, T Court, M McCarthy, S Ferris, E Reddan, R O'Gara, L Fitzgerald.
- Hugh Farrelly
Irish Independent
