O'Driscoll wants to retain captaincy
by Michelle Fortune, 13 October 2008
Brian O'Driscoll believes he still has the hunger and drive needed to captain Ireland.
Michael Cheika took the Leinster captaincy away from the centre at the start of the season and there has been some suggestion that new Ireland coach Declan Kidney would follow suit.
O'Driscoll is keen to lead Ireland in the Autumn internationals and the RBS 6 Nations, but he will respect whatever Kidney decides when he names his squad for the upcoming Tests.
"I'm still hungry for it. I've enjoyed it so much over the last five or six years. It took me a while to grow into it but it became something I enjoyed," O'Driscoll said.
"It has been a huge honour for me and I feel as though, although it is a new regime, I still have a lot to offer as captain.
"But we'll have to wait and see what Declan has to say."
O'Driscoll surrendered the captain's armband at Leinster to Leo Cullen and rather than be upset, the 29-year-old admits that the pressure has been lifted from his shoulders.
"I don't have media issues, I'm not the go-to guy for the rest of the squad when something needs to be said to the coach so those sort of things make a big difference," he added.
"It's nice from a day to day point of view. It definitely relieves the pressure and I'm able to go and focus on other things."