Tremendous Honour – O’Connell

“It will be a tremendous honour for me to have the opportunity to pull on a Lions jersey for the first time.” – said Paul O’Connell who partners Ben Kay in the tour opener

“It will be a tremendous honour for me to have the opportunity to pull on a Lions jersey for the first time.” – said Paul O’Connell who partners Ben Kay in the tour opener against Bay of Plenty next Saturday. Paul O Connell “It will be a tremendous honour for me to have the opportunity to pull on a Lions jersey for the first time.

“Looking at the team sheet, it is really exciting to play alongside players of such quality, names like Lawrence Dallaglio and Martyn Williams who I have admired for such a long time. It will be a great experience and an important test for both me and for the team.

Meanwhile the Lions are offering 20 Auckland children the chance to take part in Tuesday’s (31st May) public training session at North Harbour stadium.

The entire Lions squad will be present for the session which will offer the public an insight into how they prepare for big matches.

And for the last part of the session, 20 talented young rugby players from the area will take to the field to join in the session. The lucky youngsters are being selected from schools and clubs by local rugby officials.

Head coach Clive Woodward said as well as being in New Zealand to win matches, the Lions are determined to engage with the New Zealand public.

Youngsters here are passionate about rugby and this will give them the chance not just to rub shoulders with some of the greatest players in the world, but to learn something too. Woodward said.

Lions (v Bay of Plenty). Josh Lewsey (London Wasps, England); Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks, England), Brian O Driscoll (Leinster, Ireland) Capt, Gavin Henson (Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues, Wales); Ronan O’Gara (Munster, Ireland), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets, Wales); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues, Wales), Gordon Bulloch (Glasgow, Scotland), Matt Stevens (Bath, England); Paul O Connell (Munster, Ireland), Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers, England); Richard Hill (Saracens, England), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues, Wales), Lawrence Dallaglio (London Wasps) Replacements Steve Thompson (Northampton Saints, England), Andy Sheridan (Sale Sharks, England), Malcolm O Kelly (Leinster, Ireland), Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers, England), Matt Dawson (London Wasps, England), Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks, England), Gordon D Arcy (Leinster, Ireland)