O'Connell to pay attention to detail

Paul O’Connell will emphasise a need to do “the simple things well” when he leads the British and Irish Lions into battle tomorrow.

The Lions are expected to secure a third successive South Africa tour triumph by beating Super 14 strugglers the Cheetahs at Vodacom Park.

A 74-10 victory over the Golden Lions two days ago served notice of what O’Connell and company could achieve during the next month, culminating in a three-Test series against world champions South Africa.

That 10-try triumph has cranked the tour up a notch, but captain O’Connell is determined to keep a sense of perspective.

“What happened on Wednesday night will be great for the tour,” he said.

“We did the simple things very well, and the off-loads came because of that. It gives the tour a bit of momentum and maybe makes people sit up and take notice.

“One of the first things (assistant coach) Shaun Edwards said on Thursday morning was that we don’t go out and try to play razzle-dazzle rugby or anything like that.

“A lot of what happened on Wednesday was from doing the simple things well. The off-loads came from quick ball, and that is what we have got to do on Saturday, first and foremost.

“It is about keeping our composure and making sure we play to win first. Whatever happens after that, happens.”

O’Connell looks set to be joined in the Lions starting line-up – named later today – by his Munster second-row partner Donncha O’Callaghan, while other first-time tour starters could include Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny, Ireland back Luke Fitzgerald and his fellow Grand Slam winner Gordon D’Arcy.

D’Arcy, who was in North America when he received a call to join the Lions as midfield injury cover earlier this week, might feature in the number 12 shirt, especially as knee injury victim Riki Flutey remains unavailable.

O’Connell added: “It’s great to have such competition for places.

“I’ve seen that with Ireland and Munster – when there is competition for places, the general standard of what everyone is doing is raised.

“We are still only two games into the tour. For a lot of us, there are new attacking and defensive systems, so we are still at the stage where we have to focus on ourselves, by and large.

“The more we play with each other, the more familiar we become. Things like the breakdown, scrum and lineout will hopefully just get better and better.

“Donncha is raring to go, and it’s the same with (flanker) Stephen Ferris, who hasn’t started a game yet. These guys should give everyone a big lift, getting a first start.

“The best thing that can happen for morale is winning games. It’s been really good and enjoyable.”

O’Connell, a Lions tourist in New Zealand four years ago, is also in a position to make comparisons with that ill-fated trip.

He said: “2005 was a tough tour, mainly because towards the end we had been losing. At the start, it was good.

“I suppose the big thing here is the smaller group – a smaller group of coaches and players.

“I suppose it is something that had to be tried in 2005 to realise it probably wasn’t the best thing in the world to do.

“The fact the same coaches are coaching the same players day after day, I think it allows you to learn quicker.”