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The British and Irish Lions have a fantastic opportunity to repeat the 1997 Test series triumph over South Africa and Paul O'Connell is the right man to captain the squad this summer.
I was fortunate to be part of that Lions tour 12 years ago and the big Munster man is the nearest thing we have to a Martin Johnson clone; a hard man, an astute footballer and built like a brick outhouse.
I am sure the Springboks will target him but O'Connell can handle himself and won't have a problem dealing with the locals. Like Johnno, Ian McGeechan wanted a Lions captain who can knock on the South African dressing room and tower above their skipper.
In Brian O'Driscoll, O'Connell will have a fantastic lieutenant, who has an important role on the tour and we want him to go out and enjoy this trip after the problems he had when being injured in the First Test as captain four years ago.
Now, Brian can just play and I expect to see wonderful things from him in a back division that will cause the Springboks problems. We have the ability to create plenty of try-scoring opportunities.
There will be some surprises when it comes to who makes the Test side and that happened in 1997 when the majority of England forwards were expected to be in the pack but one bad game against the Bulls meant it didn't happen.
I was in a personal battle with Paul Wallace, of Ireland, and he got the nod for the First Test and played outstandingly well and I was very happy to help the guys with technical advice. Tom Croft is one player I would have added to the squad. I thought he had done enough for England and Leicester with his ball carrying and line-out ability but he is one of the players who should be on the standby list.
Injuries are very much a part of every Lions tour and we have a lot of rugby to play before the tour party leaves these shores with a potential Munster versus Cardiff Heineken Cup Final involving 14 of the Lions squad.
Coach McGeechan has gone for a very big pack and intends to meet fire with fire and just look at the size of our second rows who include huge men like Simon Shaw, Nathan Hines and, of course. O'Connell. We can match the best the Springboks have to offer in what will be a ferocious battle up front.
My first tour to New Zealand with the Lions in 1993 allowed us a longer build-up to the First Test with the selectors given a chance to have a look at everyone. Now, you have to hit the ground running and it's important to have established combinations and this squad have a number of these units including the Irish locks and half-backs, Welsh centres and half-backs and the English front row.
You also need characters and hard men to deal with the demands of playing the Boks and guys like Alan Quinlan, of Ireland, will help tough it out at times.
