O'Driscoll confident of facing the USA, despite lack of game time

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL INSISTS that he will be fit to face the USA in Ireland’s first World Cup game on September 11th, despite only playing one out of five warm-up matches.

The 32-year-old has been suffering from a shoulder complaint all summer but he insists that the more time he has, the better he will begin to feel.

“The shoulder feels OK. I was training away earlier, though granted we didn’t do too much contact,” the Irish captain said.

Declan Kidney’s men had only a light training session in Queenstown after a 43-hour journey that had taken in stops in Heathrow, Dubai, Sydney and Auckland.

Gordon D’Arcy joins the squad in Queenstown on Monday after his delayed departure from Dublin with a calf injury, and should be fine to face the States. As should groin injury victim Rob Kearney, although Cian Healy remains a major doubt with an eye socket injury.

O’Driscoll feels that, now that the squad has reached its destination and is training against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains, they finally feel the big tournament fever.

“We’re finally here after all the work we’ve done in the build-up,” he added. It’s great to be here. It’s certainly one of the more beautiful spots to be in.

“Hopefully we’ll get some good work done over the next week to put ourselves in good shape for the matches.”

For more read Sporting Life>