Cardiff holds no fears, says O'Driscoll

Six Nations:Brian O'Driscoll insists the Millennium Stadium has lost its fear factor after becoming a happy hunting ground for Irish rugby.

Ireland meet Wales in Saturday's SIx Nations showdown in Cardiff, the setting for their Grand Slam clinching victory over Warren Gatland's side in 2009. Munster were also crowned Heineken Cup champions at the ground in 2006 and 2008.

"A lot of guys who have played there before have good memories," said O'Driscoll. "The Munster boys won two Heineken Cups there while we have a Slam to remember from the last time we were in Cardiff.

"It's not somewhere we love going to, but it's not somewhere that we fear going to. It's a game that's up for grabs depending on whether you play better than the opposition. And they're the sort of odds you want going into any game."

Ireland have established a remarkable record in Cardiff, where they have lost just once in 12 meetings dating back to 1983.

O'Driscoll has enjoyed visiting the Millennium Stadium since it was introduced as a Six Nations venue in 2000.

"It's very, very loud and is definitely one of the best stadiums in the world to play in because of the atmosphere and the noise generated there. The crowd is right in on top of you," he said.

O'Driscoll will line-up opposite Jamie Roberts on Saturday, the player with whom he forged a superb midfield partnership on the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa.

"Jamie's a talented footballer, a great ball carrier and a big, hard physical guy who uses his size really well," said O'Driscoll. "He's the sort of guy who accelerates into tackles and knows what his power can do. He's definitely a player of a very high calibre and getting better with each Test he plays. He's a big threat."

O'Driscoll is also an admirer of another Lions team-mate, Ospreys winger Shane Williams.

"Wales really tick when Shane Williams is playing well for them," he said. "He gets his hands on the ball a hell of a lot more than most international wingers and he has big moments in big games for them."

Wales:L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Ospreys); J Hook (Ospreys), M Phillips (Ospreys); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets, capt), C Mitchell (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys).

Replacements:R Hibbard (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), D Peel (Sale Sharks), S Jones (Scarlets), M Stoddart (Scarlets), plus two from R McCusker (Scarlets), A Powell (Wasps) and J Thomas (Ospreys).

Ireland:L Fitzgerald (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); R O'Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements:S Cronin (Connacht), T Court (Ulster), L Cullen (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), P Wallace (Ulster).