Irish pride is restored with O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll was today handed the British and Irish Lions captaincy and asked to erase the memory of the last Irish leader to take the most famous touring team in the world to New Zealand.
In 1983, Ciaran Fitzgerald captained the Lions to a 0-4 Test series whitewash against the All Blacks and should have lost his place in the Test side.
Sir Clive Woodward, the Lions head coach on this tour, can take comfort from the fact that O'Driscoll is guaranteed a Test place and his form has held up under the pressure of captaining Ireland.
O'Driscoll beat off competition from ex-England captain Lawrence Dallaglio and Ireland lock Paul O'Connell to land the most prized job in British and Irish rugby and he will be aiming to give the Four Home Unions a first Test series triumph in New Zealand since 1971.
O'Driscoll was a star on the Lions tour to Australia in 2001 and is predicted to be equally successful this time. One of his biggest supporters is Keith Wood, the man who handed over the Irish captaincy to the Leinster centre.
Wood said: "He's comfortable being an international captain and he has the respect of all the players."
