Brian O'Driscoll has confirmed it was only recently that he decided to extend his career by a year. In an interview on the Second Captains @ The Irish Times show, Ireland's record try scorer offers his views on a variety of topics including Ronan O'Gara's decision to join Jonathan Sexton at Racing Metro 92 in Paris and his thoughts in agreeing a contract extension with Leinster and Ireland.
There were a number of factors in his decision to play on but arguably the most important was a conversation with wife, Amy, who gave her blessing for him to continue his career. Implicit in her acquiescence is that it will be strictly for one year. He admitted: “(It was only) probably quite recently (that I made the decision). There were lots of different factors like who was going to come in as national coach and potentially who was going to come in at provincial level.
“From a family situation (we had to look) at my wife’s set-up, career wise, having a new baby girl and how the body felt. I felt as though I had plenty to give to allow myself one more year. I have gone down that route. I am excited and relieved not to have to answer that (old) question (anymore).
“I feel pretty good apart from the back spasm that’s held on over the past couple of weeks, a bit longer than I would have liked. It is going to be for one (year). I can’t handle going that route (again) in every interview I do. My wife and I agreed to one more year and it will be just that.”
O’Driscoll admitted that he was “as shocked as anyone else,” on discovering that O’Gara had agreed a coaching role with Racing Metro, signing a two year deal. “The boys have had an interesting relationship but it has grown into a good friendship recently that people might not be aware of. It’ll be good to have one another over there, in a new environment, and it is a dynamic that will work well.
“Their friendship is genuine. It is not a case of covering up anything. They’re good friends now so much so that Rog has been invited to Johnny’s wedding. They got off on a bad footing all those years ago in Croker but Rog understands the competitive nature of Johnny and vice versa.
“When Johnny became number one, not that Ronan resigned himself to that fact, there was probably a little more acceptance that was the (pecking) order. When they spent so much time together in kicking practice and days off they probably got to know each other’s personalities better.”
