Brian O'Driscoll will not play in the 2015 World Cup © PA Photos

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News: O'Driscoll signs on for one more year

Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll has denied rumours he may extend his career to the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

O'Driscoll penned a new one-year deal with the Irish Rugby Football Union and Leinster last week which put to bed any notion he would retire at the end of the season. With his Leinster coach Joe Schmidt moving to Ireland and Leicester's Matt O'Connor stepping into the void, O'Driscoll said those appointments played a big role in him opting to re-sign.

But despite hopes he would consider playing on until the forthcoming World Cup, O'Driscoll, who will tour with the British & Irish Lions this summer, is adamant he will run out for just one more year.

"I really am not ready for a year of speculation. It is going to be just the one. I can't handle that in every interview that I do," said O'Driscoll to The Irish Times. "I know with my wife, I did agree to do just one more. I did say as well when I was talking about a World Cup, that means three pre-seasons. I don't have another three pre-seasons in me.

"There were lots of different factors in who was going to come in as national coach and then who was going to come in at provincial level. From a family situation then in terms of what my wife's set-up was, we've a new baby girl. And also how my body was. All of those factors come into things.

"So it was about weighing up all those options and wondering was I ready to give it up, knowing that I wouldn't be playing any more and you're a long time retired. I just felt that I still had plenty to give to be able to allow myself one more year."

But one man O'Driscoll will not be playing alongside next year at Test level is Ronan O'Gara. Ireland's record points scorer has opted to take up a backroom role at Racing Metro next season, which will see him work with his previous rival for the Test No.10 shirt Jonathan Sexton. It is a move that O'Driscoll believes will work despite their former rivalry.

"The boys [O'Gara and Sexton] have had an interesting relationship over the last few years but it's grown into a good friendship recently," O'Driscoll said. "The dynamic will work well over there. There's very few guys that you'd be willing to put your life on but [O'Gara's] definitely one of them.

"He backed himself right to the very end and I think that confidence has stood to him over a fantastic career. He is without a shadow of a doubt one of the better players I've ever played with."