O’Connell leads Lions from the front

PAUL O’CONNELL was described as “a man on a mission” by Royal XV coach Chaka Willemse after the Irishman had hauled his Lions & team through a few sticky patches in the first game of the 2009 tour.

“It was easy to see why he was made captain. He wants to lead by example all the time and he was the man who gave the Lions some go forward – he really was a man on a mission,” said Willemse.

“I think that once the Lions have played four or five times together they will be a superb unit. It is far too early to say what sort of threat they will pose to the Springboks, but I think they will be a quality side by the time of the Test series.”