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Paul O’Connell gets ready to test his new team-mates’ tackling skill in training
More to come: Paul O'Connell has called on the Lions to build on their early performances

Overlooked Lions not a worry for Paul O'Connell

Chris Jones
5 Jun 2009


Paul O'Connell goes into the clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein confident his squad will not be disrupted by players who fail to play in the major matches.

All the Test candidates will have started at least one fixture after the Cheetahs clash, increasing the pressure on head coach Ian McGeechan to keep discontent to a minimum.

But skipper O'Connell has total confidence in McGeechan's unique knowledge of putting together a winning squad.

He said: "It is very important for those players who aren't selected to stay on the tour.

"We have to keep this winning momentum we have built up after the first two games in South Africa and the management are very experienced in making that happen. You cannot underestimate that kind of experience and knowing how to keep all the players happy."

O'Connell will be joined in the Lions second row by Munster team-mate Donncha O'Callaghan tomorrow and there will be first starts of the tour for the Scotland front row pair of Euan Murray and Ross Ford who have genuine Test-match chances.

Meanwhile, London Irish flanker Steffon Armitage will lose his 'one-cap wonder' tag tomorrow when he plays for England in the first of two Tests with Argentina.

Armitage played against Italy in the Six Nations only to be axed but now he is back and desperate to hold onto the No7 jersey after the Old Trafford match tomorrow before England take on Argentina in Salta next weekend.

He said: "The Italy match wasn't a great experience for me but now I know what international level is like and I am hoping to show against Argentina what I can do."

Boys on tour

The current Lions squad is dominated by Irish players,with 12 of the Six Nations Grand Slam winners on tour. But in South Africa in 1997, the make-up was very different with 18 Englishmen, eight Welsh, five Scots and four Irish.

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