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O'Driscoll on the Rebels' radar

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:30

Fit to face the Boks: Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll

The new Australian Super Rugby franchise, the Melbourne Rebels, have two leading Irish icons on their radar - captain Brian O'Driscoll and suspended loose forward Jamie Heaslip.

Rebels assistant coach Damien Hill said they would be more than happy to talk to O'Driscoll if he decides that he'd like a stint Down Under after the conclusion of the 2011 World Cup.

"He's an amazing footballer and if he were to express an interest we'd be more than happy to have a chat," Hill told The Evening Herald.

"He's such a high quality player who sets high standards for himself and has good leadership skills too."

O'Driscoll's Leinster teammate Heaslip, whose tour Down Under ended early after he received a five-week suspension in the loss to the All Blacks, has also refused to rule out a season abroad after next year's World Cup.

Hill said there's no doubt the club would be eager to make contact with him also if that were the case after the tournament.

"Jamie's a great player and of course we'd be interested in having a chat," Hill told the Herald.

Danny Cipriani heads the group of foreign signings so far while former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock heads up the list of star Aussies signed up to the new club coached by World Cup winning boss Rod Macqueen, who has already admitted that he is interested in the Irish No 8.

However, Hill said that no Irish player had contacted the club to display interest in making a move down under.

He admitted that the timing of the World Cup and also exchange rates and tax incentives for players to remain in Ireland were a hurdle.

"That might be why none of them have got in touch," he laughed.

"The money overseas is a lot more, but in a way it's nice because we know that the guys we've recruited are coming here because they want the challenge of playing with a start-up club and that it's not all about money."

Hill has been a long-time admirer of Irish rugby and kept a close eye on the development of players through the system.

"I've spent a lot of time looking into the Irish rugby provincial system and I'm really impressed at how they develop players like Jamie Heaslip and how they use academies.

"Irish rugby is in a good place because of that."

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