O'Driscoll welcomes Kidney appointment

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• Morning Ireland: Brian O'Driscoll gives his reaction to Declan Kidney's appointment.

Brian O'Driscoll is confident new head coach Declan Kidney has all the right credentials to put a smile back on the face of Irish rugby.

<notforsyndication>READ BRENDAN COLE'S PROFILE OF DECLAN KIDNEY</notforsyndication>

The appointment of Kidney was an open secret, particularly after potential overseas targets - the likes of Jake White and Pat Howard - all ruled themselves out of the running.

O'Driscoll said last night: 'Declan has the CV to match the criteria for any international coach.

'He has had success with the national team at age level, he has had great success with Munster, he has been assistant coach under Eddie O'Sullivan back in the 2003 World Cup. He ticks all the boxes.

'From what the guys at Munster say, he has taken a little bit of a step back from the coaching role and he is the man who now puts it all together.

'He knows how to get the best out of his players and his coaches. If he does that with Ireland hopefully we can get back to the heights we hit 18 months ago.'

Due to his Heineken Cup commitments with Munster, Kidney will not take up his new post until after Ireland return from the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.

The IRFU plan to appoint an interim management team for the trip, which begins with a fixture against the Barbarians in Gloucester on 27 May.

Kidney will play no part in the squad selection or preparation for the tour.

Ireland A coach Michael Bradley is widely expected to take charge and O'Driscoll admits it is not the ideal scenario.

'Ideally you would want the coach to be in as soon as possible,' he said at an HSBC debate on Lions rugby, held in London last night.

'It has felt a little like the process of appointing the new Irish soccer coach (Giovanni Trapattoni) for a while, though not quite to the same extent.

'I think Declan realised his focus is on Munster at the moment and he can't give any time to Ireland. It does give him the chance to see things from the outside before he does come and join the squad.'

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen sent a message of congratulations to Kidney over his appointment.

Mr Cowen said: 'Declan's achievements from winning the 1998 Rugby World Cup with the Irish under-19s team through to his success with Munster marks him apart as one of the game's outstanding coaches.

'His knowledge of the game and his ability to get the very best out of both players and teams is well known.

'I wish him well in his new appointment and hope that the Heineken Cup final in Cardiff on 24 May will see a fitting and triumphant end to his reign as Munster coach.'