O’Sullivan sees Irish silver lining in Lions tour

Simon Lewis – The Irish dividend

You won't find many who disagree with the old adage that every player and coach who comes on a Lions tour goes home better for the experience, and it has been heartily endorsed by Ronan O'Gara and Eddie O'Sullivan, who both see what has been a difficult tour to New Zealand having a silver lining for Irish rugby.

Ireland coach O'Sullivan believes it is not just the Test stars who will feel the benefits: "I think the players, in particular the ones playing at this level and even the guys who haven't made the Test side, guys like Denis (Hickie) and Gordon D'Arcy, who have been unfortunate not to make the Test side, they're learning hugely and they're realising that they are able to operate at this higher level."

No Irishman has made more of a leap than Munster lock Donncha O'Callaghan, handed his Test debut in Wellington having come on tour as very much the fifth choice second row.

"There's always one guy on a Lions tour that comes out as a hopeful and breaks onto the scene. We had Jeremy Davidson in South Africa and Brian O'Driscoll broke onto the scene in Australia, now Donncha has delivered and I'm delighted for him. It was a big, big challenge for him, no two ways about it, but he was well up for it and well capable of it," said O'Sullivan.

"Malcolm O'Kelly is another guy who I think would have had a huge impact on this tour and we'll never know now unfortunately, but now that Mal isn't here I'm glad Donncha has stepped in.

"He's gained huge respect around the squad. There are guys who wouldn't have known him because he hasn't played lock for Ireland but he's now found huge respect and deservedly so. He's made an impact everywhere really because he's everywhere on the field, he talks in the dressing room and he's very funny around the camp as well. Fellas get a kick out of him. His character's come out and that shows he's comfortable where he is and that's great."

O'Gara believes he will benefit from the lessons he feels he has to take on board from the tour.

"I think I've just got to try and take it to an extra level now. Lawrence (Dallaglio) and Hilly (Richard Hill) were the two big superstars out of this tour. Everyone else seems to be on about the same level. Obviously New Zealand have got their own superstars but I think it's a pretty level playing field across the four nations at the minute.

"If players work hard at their game they can go up to that next level and become a dominant player in the home nations. Fellas have seen plenty of areas to improve on but we have some strength in Ireland at the minute as well. If we can combine both of those factors we should have a pretty good few years ahead of us."

For all the flak the Lions Test coaches have been attracting, O'Sullivan insisted it had been a memorable and beneficial experience.

"I haven't been surprised because I've been open minded about expecting the unexpected, and it has been different, it's been fantastic.

"A Lions tour is unique. National tours are great but a Lions tour when you've four different countries coming together, guys you'd normally knock heads with, whether as a coach or as a player, and now you're all in the same boat together that's a fantastic experience.

"It's amazing how you get to know people and see different sides to people and make good friends. When you come back from a Lions tour and you meet someone who's been on it with you, it will never be the same relationship as it was before; something will have changed for the better and there will be a bond there that's unique."

Until Six Nations time comes around again, that is. Getting the inside the head of fellow assistant coach Andy Robinson will come a tad easier when it's time to work England out, while O'Sullivan has gained an invaluable inside track on the key threats to Ireland's campaign.

"It will colour how I approach the Six Nations, absolutely," the Irish coach said, before allowing himself some breathing space. "But I'll leave that for another few months."