O'Driscoll could lose captaincy

O'Driscoll took over the Ireland captaincy from hooker Keith Wood

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has hinted he may end Brian O'Driscoll's long reign as captain of the national team.

O'Driscoll took over from Keith Wood in January 2004, taking Ireland to three Triple Crowns before the team badly underperformed at the 2007 World Cup.

"Brian and I have been talking and taking a look at things," said Kidney.

"He's done a very good job as captain but at the same time, you want to give him a small bit of space. We'll see how things go."

Kidney, who led Munster to two Heineken Cup triumphs, was named as Ireland coach in May but did not take charge until after the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.

He suggested that any change in the captaincy would be aimed at freeing the talismanic O'Driscoll to rediscover his best form.

"Come November we'll take a good look at it and we'll see how things are going," added Kidney, who has an extended Ireland squad together in Cork this week.

606: DEBATE How much was Brian's game affected by being the captain? Mickado

"At the moment, I think it's important that he just gets a chance to concentrate on his own game - because he's been shouldering things for the last five years.

"It wouldn't be usual anyway to name a captain at the start of a coaching set-up. We'll just see how things go and give him a chance to enjoy his own rugby."

O'Driscoll is regarded as one of the world's best centres and was named as skipper of the 2005 Lions tour to New Zealand, although he was injured in the opening moments of the first Test.

Since taking over from Wood on a permanent basis in January 2004, O'Driscoll has led the country to three Triple Crowns.

But the team's failure to secure a Six Nations championship, and the humiliation of a woeful World Cup campaign in France have seen the Leinster star's leadership come in for criticism.

Munster duo Paul O'Connell and Ronan O'Gara would be the leading candidates to take over should O'Driscoll lose the captaincy.

Meanwhile, Ireland team manager Paul McNaughton has confirmed the proposed Test with South Africa, which the World Cup-holders wanted to stage in the United Arab Emirates on 1 November, is now "90% certain not to go ahead".