Brian O'Driscoll has spoken of his desire to be a part of the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa later this season.
Former skipper keen to tour South Africa in the summer
Brian O'Driscoll has spoken of his desire to be a part of the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa later this season.
O'Driscoll has twice suffered disappointments with the Lions - in Australia in 2001 and as skipper in New Zealand four years later - and he understands this maybe his last chance of tasting success with the tourists.
Although still eight months away O'Driscoll, who turns 30 in January, admits that thoughts of the tour have crept into his mind.
He said: "Whilst something which is eight months away isn't in the forefront of my mind the players and the fans are fully aware that this is a Lions season.
"There's a heck of a lot of rugby to be played before then and as a player you are almost afraid to think too much about it, as so much can happen in that period.
"You really need to be in form going into the Six Nations and then the final rounds of the Heineken Cup before you are in with a real chance of selection.
"To me, the Lions is the carrot dangling heavily at the end of the season."
O'Driscoll's determination to be a part of the series comes after the disastrous Lions trip to New Zealand three years ago.
Under the leadership of Sir Clive Woodward the Lions slumped to a humiliating 3-0 whitewash. The misery was compounded still further for O'Driscoll as the captain saw his tour end just seconds into the first Test due to a shoulder injury.
But O'Driscoll insists that revenge isn't on the cards.
"It isn't about avenging the missed opportunities of the last tour, but I'd really love to a part of another Lions series," he said.
Excitement
"I've been fortunate enough to play on two tours now. We should have won in Australia in 2001, and then the New Zealand tour for me was over before it started and we lost miserably.
"The Lions creates such excitement amongst the players and the fans across all of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
"You forget the enormity of it until the Lions season starts. It's the rareness of the event that makes it such a huge spectacle."
O'Driscoll is also confident that the Lions will have the right man at the helm after Ian McGeechan was named as the Lions 2009 head coach last May.
"'Geech' brings a lot to the role. He seems to have the ability to bring about great camaraderie and bond teams in such a short time which is half the battle with a Lion's tour," he said.
"And don't forget he has already had success with the Lions, especially on the last tour to South Africa in 1997."
Despite his desire to succeed O'Driscoll knows the enormity of the task that playing in South Africa brings, "Playing South Africa at any time is a tough ask but it is do-able, and they can be beaten," he said.
"The Springboks are under huge pressure of their own to win. There is no way they will concede another loss to the Lions without going down with a fight.
"Next summer offers players a great chance to make a little bit of history."
The star centre has come in for criticism recently but after being rested for the Magners League game against Connacht it seems the Dubliner is back to his best.
On Saturday O'Driscoll helped club side Leinster overcome Edinburgh at Murrayfield in Pool Two in the Heineken Cup scoring a sublime try and setting up another for team mate Felipe Contepomi.
