O'Driscoll: 'Kidney put buzz back into team'
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll believes new coach Declan Kidney has put the “buzz” back into the national team.
Kidney finally gets his first taste of Test-match action tonight when Canada visit Thomond Park – home of Munster, the team he led to Heineken Cup glory last season.
Although the clash against a Canucks side featuring several part-time players is merely a taster for the sterner challenges to come over the next fortnight, namely Tests against New Zealand and Argentina, the Ireland boss has already cheered fans with his bold team selection.
Most exciting has been the call-up of hugely promising Munster full-back Keith Earls, just 21 – while a midfield pair of Luke Fitzgerald and O’Driscoll, chosen together at 12 and 13 for the first time, has also caught the imagination.
After a difficult 2007-08 for the Irish, which took in a first-round World Cup exit and mediocre RBS 6 Nations showing – leading to the resignation of former coach Eddie O’Sullivan – O’Driscoll believes the national team is once again a happy place to be.
“I think everyone’s excited. It’s been a really good two weeks that we’ve been together. When you get to this stage of a Test-match week you just want it to be on,” he said.
“You can see there’s a good buzz in training; everyone is enjoying each other’s company, and we just want to get out there and pull the jersey on again.
“It’s an exciting time for the new caps like Keith Earls – some guys who haven’t played home games before.
“But, as much, you can see an invigorated look on the guys who’ve got 40, 50, 60 Tests – so I think everyone will be champing at the bit come kick-off.”
Earls has been the focus of much attention since Kidney named his XV on Tuesday, and it is sure to be an emotional debut for a player who lives just minutes from the Limerick stadium.
O’Driscoll is confident, however, that his young team-mate will come through the occasion with aplomb.
“He’s acting like a 50-cap veteran, so there’s nothing to be worried about with him,” said the captain.
“He’s a really calm, nice young fellow – and he just seems to take everything in his stride.
“Of course, there’s an underlying emotion there. But he’s taking it all in, and I envisage he’ll just play his own game and thoroughly enjoy his afternoon.”
Kidney has also been impressed at the maturity shown by Earls.
“He’s been the same as always; he’s a very well-rounded man and he’s just going about his business in the normal way.”
