O'Driscoll adds to well of experience

Rugby/Six Nations Championship: As with England the day before, Ireland have made one change for the clash at Lansdowne Road on Sunday, the difference being that Eddie O'Sullivan is not calling up a player for his first start but recalling some bloke by the name of O'Driscoll for his 57th cap. He's apparently quite handy, writes Gerry Thornley, Rugby Correspondent

There are marked differences, too, which betray where the two sides are in relation to their cyclical development. Compared, say, to the Grand Slam, winner-takes-all shoot-out at Lansdowne Road two seasons ago, Ireland have eight of that day's starting line-up and 16 of the same 22, whereas England have five of the starting XV and only eight of their squad from that day in March 2003 on duty again.

Comparisons in cap hauls also underline how much more settled the Irish squad are. The Irish XV chosen to take to Lansdowne Road on Sunday have 649 caps to their names, whereas England have 389, while the Irish squad boast 915 caps - unquestionably the most experienced 22-man panel to represent Ireland - compared to England's 482.

Such established team-work and collective experience must count for something when the going gets tough. It is, after all, the kind of experience England called on when they won the William Webb Ellis Trophy 16 long months ago, since then the world champions have lost eight of their last 11 Tests to slip below Ireland in the global pecking order in sixth place.

Admittedly, rankings, stats and caps won't win so much as the toss of a coin come Sunday, and while he was grateful for "the advantage" of having a settled side, coach Eddie O'Sullivan added a rider: "England have had these changes based on retirements and a couple of injuries. But I don't think it's a major deal. There aren't too many rookies on the English team; they've players with experience still. England are in transition at the moment, but it doesn't mean they're not ready to play."

Once Gordon D'Arcy was ruled out and Brian O'Driscoll ruled in, it was, as O'Sullivan admitted, a pretty routine selection process. The reshuffle sees the increasingly invaluable Shane Horgan, having started on the wing in Rome, revert from outside centre to inside centre, with Kevin Maggs moving to the bench, to the exclusion of Gavin Duffy.

D'Arcy's hamstring strain is "not quite right", according to O'Sullivan, "and he's not comfortable with it, so there's no point in risking him this weekend. Brian O'Driscoll took a part yesterday, took a full part today (Wednesday) and looks at the moment good to go."

The Irish captain will be monitored for the rest of the week, especially when the squad has another run-out tomorrow, "but all the indicators are that he will be fine. You never know with these things whether they'll get a reaction or something, but at the moment he's in the team based on him being fit."

As to D'Arcy's medium-term prognosis, O'Sullivan stated: "He won't make this Sunday, but there's nothing else really; there's nothing sinister there."

Captain or not, O'Driscoll has rarely been permitted to lead the side out much in the last year or so, what with so many players reaching landmarks, and this game is notable for Ronan O'Gara (nine points shy of 500) winning his 50th cap, with Anthony Foley and Simon Easterby registering their 60th and 40th respectively.

Alongside that pair, the decision to retain Johnny O'Connor at openside was simplified by the hamstring injury which has sidelined Denis Leamy. Also, as O'Sullivan pointed out, the Wasps tearaway has plenty of inside information on his Premiership opponents and team-mates in the England line-up.

While England had to move their training from Bagshot yesterday, O'Sullivan conceded that the Irish squad had been "lucky" to avoid any disruptions save for traffic delays due to the weather.

With England having been "caught cold" in Cardiff, even though they still could have won, O'Sullivan went with the consensus that "had they kicked their kicks they would have beaten France. It's funny how a kicker leaves his boots at home one Saturday and it's a different landscape for everybody. They certainly were a better team than they were in Cardiff, and they're capable, if they kick their kicks, of beating anybody. If you miss kicks at this level it's very hard to win a game."

Before this RBS Six Nations campaign, England coach Andy Robinson wondered aloud whether Ireland could "take that next step", a question which Ireland's old friend, Springboks coach Jake White, re-iterated more forcefully last week.

A slightly exasperated O'Sullivan retorted: "I find it amusing and surprising that Jake feels the need to comment on Irish rugby again. He had said he had respect for Ireland after the autumn, but then throws another snowball at us. I'd like to think he's not speaking for the South African people and South African rugby."

Of more pertinent concern will be the performance of White's compatriot, Jonathan Kaplan, as referee, particularly given his fastidious performance in Thomond Park last Sunday when he blew Munster off the pitch, especially at the breakdown.

While noting that Kaplan has refereed Ireland many times and is "a world-class referee", O'Sullivan confirmed that, like his counterpart, he will be seeking a meeting with the official.

"Obviously he had problems with what was going on in Thomond Park and it is important that I am aware of them now, because you're pretty much talking about the same players with the same style of play, so I'm very hopeful I'll have a clearer picture after I meet with him. That's going to be an important meeting for sure."

Another interesting aside in the last week was the strong hint from Clive Woodward that Trevor Brennan, a regular starter for Toulouse as a utility back-five forward these past three seasons, is a leading contender for the Lions' squad, despite not having played for Ireland under O'Sullivan.

"He obviously has a lot of time for Trevor, as we do as well, but I don't think it's an anomaly that Trevor goes on the Lions tour and can't make the Irish backrow, because it's the one area we have an abundance of talent in at the moment," O'Sullivan said. "If things go well, I would expect Ireland to get a good share of backrow slots on the Lions tour, and if Trevor is one of those all the better."

Keith Gleeson is expected to make the first steps on his road to a full recovery from the broken leg he sustained in pre-season training with Leinster (having just recovered from the broken arm he sustained against Italy last March) by appearing for St Mary's in their Leinster Senior Cup final against De La Salle Palmerston at Donnybrook on Saturday. Welcoming Gleeson's "astounding recovery", O'Sullivan admitted that "if Keith is back playing for Leinster then he'll be back in consideration".