Lions 2009 - O'Connell: Lions did it for the jersey

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Jul 13:07:00 2009

British and Irish Lions captain Paul O'Connell said a week spent telling his players to "do it for the jersey" had paid off after they secured a 28-9 victory over the Springboks in the final Test.

RUGBY 2009 Lions captain Paul O'Connell - 0

"It's a very satisfying win because it was a really tough week, especially with key players ruled out, and we had to dig deep," O'Connell said.

"We wallowed for a bit after losing the series in Pretoria, but then we spoke about producing a really big performance for the jersey and our ourselves.

"We spoke about it being some players' first caps and others possibly getting their last cap, but the jersey does things for people, it's the best jersey we can ever pull on," O'Connell said.

Coach Ian McGeechan said his players had come to Ellis Park, where the Springboks had not lost in nine Tests dating back to 2001, with a tremendous sense of purpose.

"The players came with a real intent and focus and to play that way with so many changes shows how well the players integrated," McGeechan said.

"We were very accurate today and tactically we played the way we wanted to."

The most successful ever Lions coach also called for the tour to be treated as a premium event on the international rugby calendar.

"As far as I'm concerned, the two major events on the IRB calendar are the World Cup and the British and Irish Lions tour.

"It shouldn't be out of people's wit to plan two years in advance of the Lions tour and give them a fair chance. We'll have to ask some questions back home about the Lions being given a fair chance to prepare," McGeechan said.

McGeechan rated the series, which the visitors lost 2-1 despite out-scoring the Springboks 74-63 over the three Tests, as one of the most outstanding he has been involved in.

"We played the world champions in their own backyard and gave as good as we got," he said. "We could have come into this final game 2-0 up or at 1-1, but we didn't get any breaks.

"It's been one of the most outstanding series I've been involved in against a side that (Australia coach) Robbie Deans rates the best in the world and I believe he is quite right."

Springbok captain John Smit gave the Lions generous praise.

"They were all over us in all departments, better than us with more intensity and rhythm. It was an emphatic and well-deserved victory," Smit said.

South Africa's most-capped captain said the win over the Lions ranked alongside South Africa's World Cup triumph in 2007.

"Winning the series is a wonderful thing and it absolutely ranks up with the World Cup," he said.

"The Lions tour is one of the most prized things in rugby and if you look at how close and competitive the three Tests were, there's not a lot of games that can provide that sort of top-notch rugby.

"If anything should be kept in rugby, it is the Lions tour," Smit said.

Reuters

Comment 5 - 24 of 24

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  1. From dnp321, on Sun 5 Jul 12:14AM
    What a great idea, a­ Tri nations touring side. You could call them the­ Colonials or Former Convicts
    Muliana, Rockococo,­ Mortlock, Giteau, Habana, Carter, Du Preez.
    Juan­ Smith, Elsom, McCaw, Matfield, Botha, Heyman, Du­ Plessis, Woodcock.
    6 x NZ, 3 x Aus, 6 x SA.
    Play the­ four home unions 1st XV's and A XV's, Emerging­ Lions and 3 tests against the Lions.
    Difference :­ EVERY game held in world class stadiums would be sold­ out, every team would be full strength, ticket prices­ would be reasonable but the only SANZA supporters would­ be those living (some of them working - in pubs) in the­ UK. AND your chances of being mugged, shot and royally­ ripped off by greedy hoteliers whould be greatly­ diminished.
    Let's do it ! I've had a titful of­ seeing SA, NZ and Aus every single bloody November. The­ mystery and magic you had with a tour every 5 years or­ so has gone.Let's get it back.

    From BigRich, on Mon 6 Jul 12:00PM

  2. I find it somewhat depressing that people can resort to­ slagging off an entire country and its people simply­ because of a rugby test series. Dnp321 is so way off­ the mark by slagging off Lions supporters for the price­ of the tickets. Did the 5 nations committee set those­ prices ? No Sir that'll be the SARU. Did they­ choose not to play Springbok squad memebers in the warm­ up games ? No Sir, that'll be the SARU.
    I'll­ put a question to you. Would 25,000 South Africans­ travel from Durban or Cape Town to Johannesburg for a­ test ? No, but 25,000 British and Irish travelled to SA­ pumping a massive amount of money into your economy­ (rough estimate £20 million or R240 million). A little­ bit of gratitude and appreciation would be welcomed­ rather than crude ill educated remarks (are you PDV ?)

    From BigRich, on Mon 6 Jul 11:37AM

  3. Imagine the health and safety rules if lions actually­ did roam this country. the cotton wool you are­ currently wrapped in wouldnt do the trick would it?

    From Lesley, on Mon 6 Jul 11:26AM

  4. What I find so amusing is that unless you visit a zoo,­ possible sent over from south africa, you Lion symbol­ is no where to be seen. Toothless bulldogs cant roar.­ Call them the roses, they bruise so easily.

    From Lesley, on Mon 6 Jul 11:25AM

  5. Marc B you missed the point, they hurt themselves in­ practise and by their own hard tackling. Grown ups can­ see the whole picture, how old are you?

    From Lesley, on Mon 6 Jul 11:22AM

  6. Markear you Inbred swine.Be quiet

    From jaco.delarey, on Mon 6 Jul 7:57AM

  7. dnp321 jys n doos!!! eks van SA en n boer,ma hou jy net­ jou bek

    From jaco.delarey, on Mon 6 Jul 7:53AM

  8. t.reekie - "Just imagine a Lions side not­ affected by injuries, not possible in SF,­ thugs"

    Well just imagine a Springbok team picked­ purely on merit, with a coach chosen purely on merit!­

    By the way, your team's injuries were picked up­ playing the hard game of rugby, not from thuggery. The­ players and coaches know that, pity you don't...

    From Marc B, on Mon 6 Jul 1:13AM

  9. Markear1. What on earth has your rant got to do with­ rugby? Plainly you have never been to SA so how can you­ make such judgements. The way I hear it, the supporters­ that did actually travel to SA had a whale of a time,­ so your comments are not only inappropriate,­ they're also untrue. Maybe the reason you­ didn't go to the HIV capital of the world was that­ you couldn't get your rocks off with the local­ fudge-packers without getting AIDS. Never mind,­ there's always Australia next time.
    Open-minded­ indeed...

    From Marc B, on Mon 6 Jul 1:08AM

  10. dnp321- my wife said you were rubbish

    From Tony, on Mon 6 Jul 12:14AM

  11. Well done lads you have been very unlucky not to win­ all 3 tests,we are proud of you,Ian and his coaches­ picked the right squad,but for injuries and and other­ problems before the tour, you would have been much­ stronger and would have taken the series.
    Now that Mr­ Lions, Ian McGeechans is stepping down I think Declan­ Kidney [he has done it all] must come into the frame­ for the next tour.
    Clonak

    From John, on Sun 5 Jul 4:59PM

  12. Well done to the Boks, this series had everything and­­ the quality of rugby was fantastic. Looking forward to­­ going to Austrailia next time out.The Lions have­ gained­ some much needed respect back after three very­ good­ performances against an excellent SA team.­ Don't­ think Botha should have have been banned. I­ was pleased­ the way the SA public reacted to De­ Villiers­ disgracefull and totally disrespectful­ comments, I­ don't think he will be there for very­ long. Thank­ you South Africa again for a memorable­ tour.By the way dnp321 yyou are a complete @#$%

    From neilmccarrick, on Sun 5 Jul 3:10PM

  13. I would loved to have seen the outcome if South Africa­ also played their A team in the last test .. too late­ now -

    From furnitureorigins, on Sun 5 Jul 1:34PM

  14. dnp321, you are a sad, pathetic excuse for a human­ being. ive worked and played rugby with a lot of south­ africans and have got on well with them. I feel sorry­ for them when there is a fool like you coming on this­ site talking drivel, giving south africans a bad name­
    Congrats to SA on winning the tournament. They played­ a tough, physical game and have to be applauded for­ coming back in the second test.
    The Lions were­ excellent value for money and played some great rugby­ at times. Im delighted for the likes of shane williams­ and vickory for salvaging their tour at the last minute­ and am over the moon that the bull Hayes got a run in­ the third test. legend of a man. its a shame we didnt­ get to see Hook at some stage but im sure he will have­ some part to play in Australia.

    From desfls2000, on Sun 5 Jul 12:42PM

  15. dnp321.
    The lions did their lap of honour to respect­ the thousands of fans who travelled to support­ them.
    Meanwhile the boks received the trophy while­ their "fans" trooped of the stadium. its just­ as well the lions fans were applauding or it would have­ been a very quiet presentation.
    Well done to SA on­ winning the series, though some of the comments on here­ suggest that they feel like they kinda lost it, while­ the lions supporters feel that they kinda won it.
    I­ look forward to november and the BOKS in croke park.

    From Ads A, on Sun 5 Jul 12:06PM

  16. Great few weeks of rugby, it's a shame that we are­ forced to go to that hole of a country that is South­ Africa. I was in NZ four years ago and will definitely­ be going to Australia in four years time but no way was­ I going to the HIV capital of the world. I like to be­ able to walk safely down without the fear of being­ mugged and murdered. Statistically the most dangerous­ country in the world, even worse than Afghanistan.­ Dnp321: you can stay in your armpit of a country and we­ will happily stay in our safe, secure, open minded and­ disease free corner of the world.

    From markear1, on Sun 5 Jul 11:37AM

  17. Yo dnp321, does your wife know you were so busy when in­ the British Isles??

    From ptothej, on Sun 5 Jul 8:39AM

  18. I really cant believe that some comments that are­ posted on here come from REAL rugby fans. It is the­ first time I have been to a Lions Test match, I went to­ the Durban test. Everyone I met in Durban and Cape Town­ were so happy that we were there, so happy that the­ Lions fans were enjoying themselves and were more than­ happy to enjoy themselves with us! Is that not what­ rugby is all about? Long may I enjoy rugby, long may I­ enjoy rugby friendships, foreign and domestic! We all­ moan that we were robbed, we all says the ref was poor,­ no matter which side we are on, but in the end we go to­ the bar together and have a laff taking the pi** out of­ each other! Never have I seen any bad sportmanship,­ long may that continue. That is why rugby is the­ greatest sport in the world, gladiators on the pitch­ that we all admire whether our players or the­ opponents! I just cant believe some of the comments­ made on here are made by true rugby fans!

    From geoff.balls, on Sun 5 Jul 12:43AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    getting back to all the p1ssing and moaning from the­ lions supporters about S.A not respecting them as a­ team , half full stadia, no star players in the­ provincial games etc etc.

    I have had a good look and­ think about this today after the game.

    theticket­ prices for the midweek games were so high that no­ normal working person could afford to go everytime.­ remember in s.a rugby is a workers class game - not for­ posh @#$%s as in the british isles (except wales).

    a­ ticket price of say 80 quid would be about about 1000­ s.a rands - almost equal to the minimum s.a salary per­ month of 1400.

    people in s.a have a lot more things­ to worry about than watching their former opressors­ play rugby.

    then after last saturday's lost the­ lions refused to congratulate the boks on their series­ win.

    today, the boks congratulated them on their win.­ the lions also did their silly lap of honour just to­ take away from sa's achievement. this was the­ boks' series and they should have been showed the­ respect they deserve.

    we would actually be happy if­ the lions never return as it would just be more p1ssing­ and moaning again about everything

    take your cash,­ drunk hooligans and your lions costumes and go back to­ your little overcrowded island where south africans hve­ to do the work for you (doctors, dentists, nurses etc­ etc)

    i've been all over the british isles, p1ssed­ in your sea, s crewed your wives and took your money.­ long live the new s.a

    here men play rugby. sometimes­ we lose and sometimes we win

    From dnp321, on Sun 5 Jul 12:31AM

  20. i just had a brilliant idea - the southern hemisphere­ teams - s.a oz & nz should form a team together and­ go play the british isles every few years.

    just think­ how good this would be. habana, mcCaw,spies,­ mortlock,gitau etc all in one team

    From dnp321, on Sun 5 Jul 12:14AM
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