Brian O'Driscoll might appreciate the irony in the latest twist to the media frenzy that has engulfed Wales amid Mike Ruddock's unseemly departure from the job of national coach.

That the tales involves a certain Gavin Henson should come as a surprise to no one in the Irish camp, least of all their captain, O'Driscoll.

But on this occasion at least, the finger cannot be pointed at Welsh rugby's perma-tanned centre of attention. Instead it's the spin doctors who are coming in for ridicule even if Welsh rugby's branch of that dubious brother and sisterhood have managed a feat that not even Alistair Campbell could boast of matching.

During last summer's ill-fated British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, Campbell scripted some quotes, purporting to be Henson's, understanding words, after he was left out of Clive Woodward's first Test line-up. That plan infamously back-fired on Tony Blair's former media guru when Henson revealed to a reporter he was "gutted" at that Lions selection omission.

However, in the wake of the furore over what has been dubbed Ruddockgate, even the usually forthright Henson decided to toe the scripted party line, in his case over controversial comments about O'Driscoll made in his "My Grand Slam Year".

Henson accused the Ireland captain of attempting to gouge his eyes and swearing at him during Wales' 2005 Grand Slam clincher. But that was a subject to be avoided at all costs by Wales ahead of Sunday's clash at Lansdowne Road when Henson will be a replacement - as detailed in a stray PR crib-sheet that was left lying around at a press conference in Cardiff this week.

If asked, Henson was instructed to say, "I have a lot of respect for Brian as a player, as an individual and as a leader - and I say so in the book.

"Ireland will present a huge challenge next Sunday and they will be ably led by their inspirational captain.

"We are concentrating on meeting that challenge as a team.

"As an individual I have no personal issue with Brian and I refuse to add to the hype surrounding the game by commenting further."

When the Welsh media actually questioned Henson it was clear he hadn't learned his lines in parrot fashion.

But Wales' spinners were suitably relieved when he stayed on message to say, "To be honest, I think everybody has moved on from the book now. I toured with Brian and Gordon D'Arcy with the Lions and got on with them well. Both are world-class players and D'Arcy is back to his best now."