For the time being hob-nobbing with Rio Ferdinand and the like will do nicely.
Brian O’Driscoll is enjoying life and is in no rush to get back on the rugby treadmill. Speaking at the Web Summit in Dublin on Thursday, Ireland’s record cap-holder said he is enjoying his life.
He is doing some punditry, endorsing some products and generally taking it easy after one of the longest and most successful careers in the history of Irish sport.
After 16 years, 133 Tests and 46 tries O’Driscoll expressed his desire to break from the game after his retirement in May of last year and he has been good to his word.
It would appear he has no desire to emulate his old team-mate and captain Leo Cullen, who retired at the same time as O’Driscoll and immediately joined the Leinster backroom team, taking over as head coach from Matt O’Connor this summer.
“For the time being, the coaching side of things doesn’t really do it for me because I wanted my weekends back,” said O’Driscoll.
“I don’t do a huge amount of stuff, just the Champions Cup rugby with BT which is only nine weekends a year. And, with a couple of other brands and interests… I’m involved with the Ultimate Rugby app and that’s the kind of day-today stuff.
“So being able to get involved in that side of things is very different to what I’ve done in the past, so for the time being coaching isn’t really on my radar.”
https://instagram.com/p/9s3qPrLG4W/?taken-by=13rianodriscoll
O’Driscoll is working as a pundit for BT Sport and Newstalk, and appeared on ITV during the Rugby World Cup, all of which allows him to get his rugby fix without a massive commitment.
If he wants to get on the field he can always do a little one-on-one coaching, as he has done with Connacht and Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw.
“From a team point of view, I wanted a clean break away from it. Working on the Champions Cup allows me to still have a huge interest in the game and impart the little bit of knowledge I hope I still have.
“But I like doing a little bit of the one-on-one stuff with guys who are interested in what I have to say, and I’ll pull apart their game a little bit; I’m only too happy to help,” he said.
Here is Brian O'Driscoll's take on social media "No-one tweets on behalf of me". #websummit pic.twitter.com/GvnzUefRIQ
— Midlandjobs.ie (@MidlandjobsIrl) November 5, 2015
Rapping with Rio on a couch in the RDS on a Thursday afternoon is slightly more appealing than a rainy RDS Showgrounds with Scarlets on a Friday night, it seems.
