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 06 July 2008 03:26 BST

O'Driscoll says 2005 failure should be warning to new Lions

Friday, 09 May 2008 08:23
O'Driscoll says "huge lessons" should be learnt from Lions' 2005 defeat
Brian O'Driscoll says the 2009 British and Irish Lions must learn from the mistakes of the disastrous 2005 tour to New Zealand.

The Leinster player was captain of the 2005 squad only to see his tour ended just minutes into the first Test after a spear tackle from All Blacks Tana Umaga and Jerry Collins left him with a dislocated shoulder.

The touring side went onto lose 3-0 in the southern hemisphere and O'Driscoll says "huge lessons" should be learnt from the selection and PR problems that dogged the tour.

"In 2005, the coaching staff went in with pre-conceived ideas as to what the Test team would be," said O'Driscoll.

"Not everyone performed the way they should have but some guys still got into the team."

Though 51 players were selected for the tour, many players were rarely used, with vast differences between the performances of the midweek sides and those performing in the tests.

"If you play well you get selected next time round, irrespective of reputation or whether you have been on other Lions tours or whether you have been captain of your country. None of that should matter," the Irish centre added.

"It is the guys who are playing well when you are on tour who should play the Test rugby. You have to give everyone equal opportunity to get into the Test team."

Speaking at a Lions debate organised by HSBC, O'Driscoll's remarks were backed up by former Lions team-mate Jason Robinson, who said a smaller touring party could be the key to success in South Africa in 2009.

"The more people you have there, the more people will be disappointed when the team is chosen," the World Cup winner said.

"Everybody who goes out there wants to play. If you are not picked for two or three games you are called the driftwood and you feel like that. It is important to get the numbers right."

The head coach for the South Africa will be named on May 14th and Robinson argued that the Grand Slam-winning double act of Wales coaches Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards would be a perfect fit.

"I think the Lions is something he would love to get his teeth into," Robinson said of his former Wigan rugby league team-mate Edwards.
"He has done exceptionally well in a short space of time with Warren and with Geech [Wasps coach Ian McGeechan]. The coaches have to get on and if you have three people who already have that bond it will make it much easier."End of story


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