O’Driscoll To Captain Ireland In GUINNESS Series

Declan Kidney watched his players go through their paces for their second day of training at the University of Limerick, before appearing at the press conference to launch the GUINNESS Series 2009.

The series will get underway at Croke Park on Sunday week when Robbie Deans’ Australian side take on the Grand Slam champions.

Confirming that Brian O’Driscoll will continue as Ireland captain for their opening internationals of the new season, Kidney heaped praise on the Leinster centre, who has captained his country full-time since 2004, while also commending others in the Irish squad for their leadership skills.

“Paul (O’Connell) has captained the Lions and captained Munster quite well, Donncha (O’Callaghan) has captained the Lions and Ronan (O’Gara) has captained the Lions. Ronan has captained with Munster and Ireland also,” he said.

“In Brian’s case, he brings a lot of experience to it, like the other lads would do, he is motoring well at the moment so we just felt it prudent (to pick him).

“It’s been a long time since we were together, six or seven months, so, for continuity and for a whole host of reasons really, we decided to stay with him.”

But the Irish management will continue to take a series by series approach to the captaincy, meaning that they may opt for a new man when Ireland defend their Six Nations title in the spring.

“It’s like we dealt with it last year, it is just on a series by series basis,” Kidney continued.

“That helps in Brian’s case, too, as it doesn’t heap pressure on him for a whole year and allows him to come in and be captain and then just get on with his game in December and January.

“We will see him again come February but I think any one of a host of guys could actually do that.”

Kidney described O’Driscoll’s reaction to the news as one of immense pride.

The 30-year-old Dubliner has captained Ireland to 39 wins in 56 Test matches since helping them get past Australia at a wet Lansdowne Road in November 2002.

“He was delighted (to retain the captaincy) and that is the thing – he is excited about it as ever really,” said Kidney.

“He was really keen on it and that’s an important part, too, because captain is a bit like some of the ancillary jobs that are going, because not only do you have to play, you have to give a bit of yourself to the other members of the team then, too.

“If anything, his enthusiasm for the job is growing and that is a great thing because it feeds into the team.”

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL’S RECORD AS IRELAND CAPTAIN:

November 9, 2002 – Autumn International – Ireland 18 Australia 9, Lansdowne Road
November 17, 2002 – Autumn International – Ireland 64 Fiji 17, Lansdowne Road (1 try – 17th Test score)
November 23, 2002 – Autumn International – Ireland 16 Argentina 7, Lansdowne Road
February 16, 2003 – Six Nations – Scotland 6 Ireland 36, Murrayfield
February 22, 2003 – Six Nations – Italy 13 Ireland 37, Stadio Flaminio (1 try – 18th)
March 8, 2003 – Six Nations – Ireland 15 France 12, Lansdowne Road
March 22, 2003 – Six Nations – Wales 24 Ireland 25, Millennium Stadium
March 30, 2003 – Six Nations – Ireland 6 England 42, Lansdowne Road
August 30, 2003 – World Cup Warm-Up – Ireland 61 Italy 6, Thomond Park
February 22, 2004 – Six Nations – Ireland 36 Wales 15, Lansdowne Road (2 tries – 22nd and 23rd)
March 6, 2004 – Six Nations – England 13 Ireland 19, Twickenham
March 20, 2004 – Six Nations – Ireland 19 Italy 3, Lansdowne Road (1 try – 24th; yellow card)
March 27, 2004 – Six Nations – Ireland 37 Scotland 16, Lansdowne Road
June 12, 2004 – Summer Tour – South Africa 31 Ireland 17, Vodacom Park
June 19, 2004 – Summer Tour – South Africa 26 Ireland 17, Newlands (1 try – 25th)
November 13, 2004 – Autumn International – Ireland 17 South Africa 12, Lansdowne Road
November 20, 2004 – Autumn International – Ireland 55 United States 6, Lansdowne Road
November 27, 2004 – Autumn International – Ireland 21 Argentina 19, Lansdowne Road
February 6, 2005 – Six Nations – Italy 17 Ireland 28, Stadio Flaminio
February 27, 2005 – Six Nations – Ireland 19 England 13, Lansdowne Road (1 try – 26th)
March 12, 2005 – Six Nations – Ireland 19 France 26, Lansdowne Road (1 try – 27th)
March 19, 2005 – Six Nations – Wales 32 Ireland 20, Millennium Stadium
February 4, 2006 – Six Nations – Ireland 26 Italy 16, Lansdowne Road
February 11, 2006 – Six Nations – France 43 Ireland 31, Stade de France
February 26, 2006 – Six Nations – Ireland 31 Wales 5, Lansdowne Road
March 11, 2006 – Six Nations – Ireland 15 Scotland 9, Lansdowne Road
March 18, 2006 – Six Nations – England 24 Ireland 28, Twickenham
June 10, 2006 – Summer Tour – New Zealand 34 Ireland 23, Waikato Stadium (1 try – 28th)
June 17, 2006 – Summer Tour – New Zealand 27 Ireland 17, Eden Park
June 24, 2006 – Summer Tour – Australia 37 Ireland 15, Subiaco Oval
November 11, 2006 – Autumn International – Ireland 32 South Africa 15, Lansdowne Road
November 19, 2006 – Autumn International – Ireland 21 Australia 6, Lansdowne Road
November 26, 2006 – Autumn International – Ireland 61 Pacific Islanders 17, Lansdowne Road
February 4, 2007 – Six Nations – Wales 9 Ireland 19, Millennium Stadium (1 try – 29th)
February 24, 2007 – Six Nations – Ireland 43 England 13, Croke Park
March 10, 2007 – Six Nations – Scotland 18 Ireland 19, Murrayfield
March 17, 2007 – Six Nations – Italy 24 Ireland 51, Stadio Flaminio
August 11, 2007 – World Cup Warm-Up – Scotland 31 Ireland 21, Murrayfield
September 9, 2007 – World Cup Pool D – Ireland 32 Namibia 17, Stade Chaban-Delmas (1 try – 30th)
September 15, 2007 – World Cup Pool D – Ireland 14 Georgia 10, Stade Chaban-Delmas
September 21, 2007 – World Cup Pool D – France 25 Ireland 3, Stade de France
September 30, 2007 – World Cup Pool D – Ireland 15 Argentina 30, Parc des Princes (1 try – 31st)
February 2, 2008 – Six Nations – Ireland 16 Italy 11, Croke Park
February 9, 2008 – Six Nations – France 26 Ireland 21, Stade de France
February 23, 2008 – Six Nations – Ireland 34 Scotland 13, Croke Park
March 8, 2008 – Six Nations – Ireland 12 Wales 16, Croke Park
June 7, 2008 – Summer Tour – New Zealand 21 Ireland 11, Westpac Stadium
June 14, 2008 – Summer Tour – Australia 18 Ireland 12, Telstra Dome (1 try – 32nd)
November 8, 2008 – Autumn International – Ireland 55 Canada 0, Thomond Park Stadium
November 15, 2008 – Autumn International – Ireland 3 New Zealand 22, Croke Park
November 22, 2008 – Autumn International – Ireland 17 Argentina 3, Croke Park
February 7, 2009 – Six Nations – Ireland 30 France 21, Croke Park (1 try – 33rd) 
February 15, 2009 – Six Nations – Italy 9 Ireland 38, Stadio Flaminio (1 try – 34th) 
February 28, 2009 – Six Nations – Ireland 14 England 13, Croke Park (1 try – 35th) 
March 14, 2009 – Six Nations – Scotland 15 Ireland 22, Murrayfield
March 21, 2009 – Six Nations – Wales 15 Ireland 17, Millennium Stadium (1 try – 36th)