O’Driscoll re-appointed Leinster Captain
Brian O’Driscoll has been re-appointed Leinster captain for the third consecutive year.
The 28-year-old Ireland skipper will spear-head a new leadership team which includes returning Ireland international second row Leo Cullen and former Waratahs skipper Chris Whitaker.
O’Driscoll has earned 88 caps for Leinster in all competitions and has amassed 208 points in total, including a staggering 41 tries and a drop goal.
He made his Leinster debut in 1999 and led the squad to a third-place finish in the Magners League last year after having been pipped to the title on the last day of the season for the second successive season.
In the last two years, the Clontarf native also led the province to the semi and quarter finals of the Heineken Cup where Leinster were defeated in both years by the eventual winners of the tournament. In November 2006 he signed a contract extension with Leinster until 2011.
Brian O’Driscoll said: “I am honoured to have been asked to lead Leinster over the coming season. Leinster is my home province and I believe that there’s an enormous amount of excitement around the club at the moment; with the impending return to the RDS coupled with some new signings who will no doubt add great competition for positions right across the panel.
“Already record numbers have bought season tickets for the new season which shows how much faith our loyal supporters have in the team and management. This gives everyone connected with the team a lift. We’re all working extremely hard in pre-season and are looking towards building on another improved season in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup.”
PRE SEASON
Meanwhile, Leinster will travel to face Biarritz away on the 31st August (KO: tbc) before embarking on a week’s long training camp in Barcelona prior to the start of the new season.
The camp will conclude with another mouth-watering fixture against Bath in The Recreation Ground on Friday, 7th September (KO: 6.30pm)