Williams: We’ll spoil the O’Driscoll party
STAND-IN Wales captain Martyn Williams has vowed to spoil Brian O’Driscoll’s home party at Croke Park on Saturday.
Irish skipper O’Driscoll will make his 100th international appearance in the crunch Six Nations clash with the Welsh.
But Williams, who himself wins his 95th cap ?– a new record for a Wales forward – claims to have a party-pooping plan to ruin his British Lions team-mate’s big day.
“The big message that we’re going to try and hammer home all week is just be a little bit more patient and the gaps will appear. It’s a shame we’re going to try and spoil Brian’s party… but that’s our job.”
Williams played in three British and Irish Lions tours with O’Driscoll – in Australia in 2001, New Zealand in 2005 and South Africa last year – and has the utmost respect for his opposite number.
“I think the word legend is thrown around a lot, but he is the epitome of the word,” he added. “He’s probably been the best player in the northern hemisphere for the last decade, if not the world and you can’t speak highly enough of him.
“I know him off the field as well and he’s a really down-to-earth guy.”
Wales have disappointed in this year’s tournament, suffering defeats to England and France, but Williams insists his side are capable of pulling off a shock win in Dublin.
“I don’t think we are playing badly,” the Cardiff Blues star went on. “But we haven’t helped ourselves, particularly early on in games, which is well-documented. We’ve got a game-plan for Saturday and, if we put that in place, I am sure we will cause Ireland problems.”