O’Sullivan bids to restore reputation by springing Boks shock

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S campaign to repair the damage done by Ireland’s embarrassing World Cup and land the prized Lions job starts tomorrow.

O’Sullivan is coaching the Barbarians for their Twickenham showpiece against South Africa and his performance will be under the microscope.

The real business of convincing the Lions committee that Ireland’s abysmal World Cup was just an aberration will be conducted during next year’s RBS 6 Nations. But O’Sullivan needs to restore the reputation that took a fearful battering in France as quickly as possible and knows victory over the Springboks would begin the healing process.