Sexton: Let’s do it for O’Driscoll and O’Connell

The British & Irish Lions have their date with destiny today and with a long-awaited Test series victory within their grasp, they will face Australia determined to deliver success for veteran duo Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell.

Lions fly-half Jonathan Sexton issued the rallying cry on the eve of today’s game at Etihad Stadium (11:05am Irish time) with the tourists on the brink of a first series win since 1997 in South Africa.

Warren Gatland’s side edged past the Wallabies in Brisbane seven days ago with O’Driscoll the only player in the entire squad to have experience of taking a 1-0 series lead into a second Test. That was a dozen years ago in 2001 when the Irish outside centre was 21 and the Lions, captained by Martin Johnson, missed their shot at glory, losing the Melbourne Test at the same stadium 35-14 having led 11-6 at half-time.

With O’Driscoll, 34, and the injured O’Connell, 33, on their final Lions tours, Sexton said the Irish pair were uppermost in the players’ minds, particularly as the former had given a stirring and inspirational speech after training on Thursday.

“We do it for the group, for each other and ourselves but at the same time it’s their last chance and for what they’ve achieved in the game they deserve it,” Sexton said.

“Brian put it into perspective. He was here 12 years ago and the chance slipped by. He thought, ‘I’m only 21, I’ll plenty more opportunities’ and 12 years later this is his next opportunity.

“So it’s not something that comes along too often and is something all the lads really want to grasp while they can. He emphasised that, Gats the same.

“I think we want to do it for guys like Brian and Paul. Paul is obviously injured but if we win he can say he was part of the squad that won a Test series at least.”

O’Driscoll’s words not only inspired the players but the Lions coaches as well, not least backs coach Rob Howley, the former Wales scrum-half who played alongside the Ireland star in the first two Tests of the 2001 series and was part of the victorious 1997 Lions squad.

“Brian O’Driscoll has been hugely influential,” Howley said yesterday. “He spoke about what we experienced in 2001, it was 12 years ago and there’s probably one player that deserves it more than anyone else and that’s Brian O’Driscoll. He’s been fantastic for northern hemisphere rugby and world rugby but it just shows how hard it is to win Test series.

“Here’s a guy who’s won Six Nations, Grand Slams, Heineken Cups and yet the one trophy that’s missing is winning a Lions series. That brought memories back for myself but more importantly the message was sent to the players, let’s have no regrets.

“He spoke yesterday and the hairs on the back my neck [stood up] because there was an opportunity just before half-time, where we broke through and we didn’t take it and I think we were 13-6 or 13-7 up and that’s what it will come down to on Saturday. It’s about us being clinical when the moments present themselves.

“Brian talked about those experiences and doing everything that we possibly can between now and kick-off. It was just the end to the conversation which the group could refocus on and today in training they were absolutely fantastic. We had good shape and it’s going to be one hell of a Test match.”