Listen to the boss.

Brian O’Driscoll reckons Joey Carbery should take the advice of Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt when it comes to his future with Leinster. The talented young outhalf has been linked with a move to Ulster in recent weeks, with the IRFU supposedly pulling the string behind the scenes.

O’Driscoll says if Schmidt thinks a move to Ulster is the best move for Carbery going forward – the 22-year-old should listen to the New Zealander and think of the bigger picture.

Speaking last night on the Off The Ball Roadshow at the Mansion House, O’Driscoll thinks the current Irish team is destined for bigger and better things, and that Carbery should perhaps sacrifice domestic honours in search of international success – be it another Six Nations title, or even a Rugby World Cup.

“If he’s going to be No 2 for Ireland as Joe Schmidt has clearly earmarked him, I think from that perspective, I’d be taking the advice of my Ireland coach and listening to what he said. And if [Schmidt] is saying, ‘Go to Ulster’, I’d be listening to him,” he said. 

“Because, ultimately, yes you want to play for your province and you want to win trophies but you also want to win trophies on a bigger scale and this World Cup next year and other Six Nations, this Irish team are in a phenomenally good place. The last thing you’d want to do is rule yourself out of that ’23 because you haven’t got enough game-time and someone like Ross Byrne gets more of an opportunity.”