O'Connell can put down a marker

PAUL O'CONNELL will get to use the new lineout calls written on the back of his hand when the British & Irish Lions open their tour of New Zealand against Bay Of Plenty on Saturday.

The Munster lock is one of three Irishmen, alongside captain Brian O'Driscoll and fly-half Ronan O'Gara, named yesterday in a powerful Lions outfit which signals coach Clive Woodward's intent to launch this 11-match tour in the strongest possible fashion.

"Because it's the first game, Bay Of Plenty will want to give us a very tough match and we have selected a strong side who will give us a good start to the tour," Woodward said.

With the players told of the line-up yesterday morning, the announcement was made three days ahead of schedule with the explanation that the news, if delayed, would become obvious during the week's training sessions.

While not revealing his strongest selection, the coach has nonetheless put together some Test-worthy combinations throughout the team, pairing O'Driscoll with Wales star Gavin Henson in midfield, O'Connell with England lock Ben Kay and sending out an experienced back row in the shape of Richard Hill, Martyn Williams and Lawrence Dallaglio.

Josh Lewsey comes in at full-back with late call-up Mark Cueto of England and Welshman Tom Shanklin on the wings, while O'Gara partners scrum-half Dwayne Peel of Wales.

Hooker Gordon Bulloch, the lone Scotsman in the XV, will pack down in the front row between props Gethin Jenkins and Matt Stevens.

There are two Ireland internationals on the bench, with lock Malcolm O'Kelly recovered from the injury which forced his withdrawal from the ill-fated 25-25 draw against Argentina seven days ago, while Gordon D'Arcy, who started that match, gets another chance following a disjointed and error-strewn team performance.

Woodward revealed his opening hand as the entire touring party of 45 players and 30 management staff took a short flight south from their Auckland base to Rotorua for an official Maori welcoming party in the town that will host the opening encounter.

"There is a huge sense of excitement and anticipation now our first game in New Zealand is so close," Woodward added and O'Connell certainly shares those feelings following his inclusion.

"It's fabulous," the Irish second row said. "Your goals change all the time at the start you just want to hear your name selected in the squad and then you want to make it through your games to make it onto the plane; once you're on the plane you want to be starting your first match so to be going up and pulling on your jersey is going to be incredible.

"To see your name up there on the board as I did this morning really is cool and to see it alongside guys like Dallaglio and these fellas is very interesting and we're really looking forward to it. It's quite a strong pack, everyone seems to be very experienced and it's really exciting to be playing with these guys. It's probably the only opportunity a lot of us will get to play together so it's exciting stuff.

"We've got to get the tour off to a winning start now, that's the big thing."

O'Connell's other goal is to put in the performance this weekend that will help cement his place in the Lions side for the first Test against the All Blacks on June 25.

The Munster man is well aware chances to do that are limited.

"Every game is a Test trial. Every time you pull on a jersey now you've got to treat it as such and play your heart out. I think that by the time the Test team comes around there are going to be a lot of changes to what people might think it is now."

Having at last been given the opportunity to wear the Lions jersey following months of hype and speculation, O'Connell insists he has little time to ponder his likely emotions at being handed the honour and the numbers he has scrawled in ink on the back of his hands bear out the urgency of the task ahead.

"I'm just trying to prepare. I've a whole new raft of lineout calls and a whole new way of playing to learn so I'm just trying to get myself prepared. We've a day off on Thursday and with that bit of spare time I'm sure it will begin to dawn on me then, but at the moment I'm just working hard at getting everything right."