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Ireland rugby greats Fergus Slattery and Paul Wallace both believe Paul O'Connell can captain the British & Irish Lions in South Africa this year.

But only one of them thinks he should.

Munster lock O'Connell (pictured) has been pivotal in helping Ireland to their current position as unbeaten Six Nations leaders and putting them in sight of a first Grand Slam in 61 years.

However, he is not the captain of Ireland, with centre Brian O'Driscoll - the 2005 Lions captain in New Zealand where a spear tackle by Tana Umaga ended his involvement just minutes into the first Test - leading the men in green shirts instead.

But Martin Johnson was not captain of England when he skippered the Lions to a 1997 Test series victory in South Africa, where the Springboks, then as now, were the reigning world champions.

Johnson, like O'Connell, was a lock while Ian McGeechan, the Lions' coach in 1997, will also be in charge this year.

Former prop Wallace, who starred in the Lions' front-row 12 years ago as they upset the odds by taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the best of three Test series, is adamant O'Connell can transfer the leadership qualities which have helped Munster become European champions into a multi-national context.

"I know in 1997 they wanted someone intimidating. I know Paul is not as big a man as Martin Johnson but he is just as fearsome," Wallace told AFP at an HSBC Lions Legends event here at the Guinness Storehouse.

"The captaincy works well in Ireland with O'Driscoll," said Wallace and the midfielder could yet become the only man other than Johnson, also the captain in Australia in 2001, to lead the Lions on two tours.

Wallace - who acknowledged the captaincy claims of Wales skipper Ryan Jones - added: "O'Connell might bring that whole Munster cameraderie and for something like a Lions tour that might just work.

"I am always a fan of having a captain in the forwards. You need to have decision-makers at 9, 10, 13 but to pick someone up front, especially against South Africa, O'Connell might be that inspirational figure.

"Talking to my brother (David) and other Munster players, the way they speak about O'Connell, it's as if he's their father figure.

"He demands so much from players and in such a short time to galvanise the side, that could be important."

Whatever the merits of O'Connell as a captain, Wallace said there could be no debate about his qualities as a lock.

"I think O'Connell has been playing extraordinarily well," he said.

"We all know the physical things in his game but he is now playing a lot more football, his passing out of hand has improved no end just in the last couple of months.

"He's definitely good for a Test place unless there's an injury or severe lack of form."

Slattery, a superb openside flanker, was a key figure in the unbeaten Lions tour of South Africa in 1974 where they were captained by arguably Ireland's greatest and most commanding lock in Willie John McBride.

However, Slattery reckons the reponsibility of being a Lions captain will take the edge off O'Connell's game.

"I don't know if it is a good thing for him personally," Slattery said. "I don't know whether he would be better off being his own man and playing to the best of his ability and not having the shackle of captaincy. But he is certainly capable of doing it."

The Lions' triumph 35 years ago was the first time they'd won a Test series in South Africa and they would have ended that tour with a perfect played 22, won 22 record, had not a seemingly good Slattery try late in the drawn 13-13 fourth Test been disallowed.

"That's history," said Slattery with a smile. "You should never look back, only look forward."

AFP