O’Sullivan determined to get his backs up

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN believes his Lions backs are gradually developing an understanding ahead of the tour opener against Bay of Plenty on Saturday.

The Ireland head coach has been handed the task of moulding the 21 backs from four different countries into a fluent offensive unit for the 11 matches in New Zealand.

The size of the challenge was all too apparent when, with very little practice time together, the Lions were undermined by a litany of handling and passing errors during the 25-25 draw with Argentina in Cardiff last week.

There were glimpses of great back play against the Pumas but O'Sullivan also pointed to some sloppy efforts at the Millennium Stadium.

"It was a difficult week in Cardiff because we were trying to get our basics in place," O'Sullivan said.

"I think you saw that in the game. There was a lack of accuracy at key times and we were one pass away from a great move. And I think even this week it's been a little bit the same, but hopefully come Saturday we'll be putting it together even more."

O'Sullivan has three-and-a-half weeks and six games against provincial sides to get things spot on in the back division before the Lions head into the first test against New Zealand in Christchurch on June 25.

He believes the series could be decided by cohesive, fluent back play.

"The two forwards packs are going to sort it out and probably draw even, so it could come down at the end of the day to the speedsters and we'll be looking to them to break the game at crucial moments."

If they manage it then O'Sullivan's tour boss, Clive Woodward, would be experiencing the greatest moment of his coaching career.

Both men were speaking at Auckland's North Harbour Stadium during the Lions' first public training session and Woodward epeated his assertion that achieving success with the Lions would be even more difficult and mean more in some ways than winning the World Cup with England.

His initial statement was met with metaphorically raised eyebrows in the New Zealand media, with one headline reading "Yeah, right" and the head coach countered: "I wasn't being tongue in cheek.

"There was no one more proud about winning the World Cup than myself, but for me and all the players and coaches it was a four-year operation in the planning and preparing.

"But the Lions is right up there and it's more difficult because you're bringing four sets of players from four different countries with a lot less preparation.

"We've got some fantastic players and going round the four countries to see how the different teams operate, they are all different different methods of attacking, defending, different calls.

"To try to bring it all together in one week and come to a place like New Zealand, which is the toughest place the Lions ever go, and try to pick up the pace so quickly is a huge challenge.

"When we come to the test matches we'll come up against the number one team in the world. The Lions have been here 10 times and lost nine (test series).

"History's not on our side so you use very means possible, cut corners and use all my experience in winning a World Cup to make sure when Brian O'Driscoll leads out the players for the first test, that they are the best prepared Lions ever.

"We respect the New Zealand team but we don't fear them. The Lions have been put together in a very short period of time so I'm serious when I say if the Lions were to win this test series that would be just as big an achievement as the World Cup."

Although the Lions camp had suggested a crowd of 8,000 would turn up, they announced an attendance of between 5,000 and 5,500 for the 45-minute session, although even that appeared optimistic.

Those who did show up witnessed the forwards practice line-out drills, while the backs worked on their sprinting and the kickers were put through their paces.

Of the 45 players in the squad, 40 took part, before spending further time signing autographs. Scottish forward Simon Taylor went through a lone workout with Lions physio and compatriot Stuart Barton as he continued his recovery from a hamstring injury, which has seen him ruled out for the first two games of the tour.

Leinster lock Malcolm O'Kelly, who missed the game against Argentina through an abdominal injury, also sat out the public session but was expected to resume training yesterday afternoon when the Lions returned to their screened-off training ground.