RUGBY LIONS TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA:PAUL O'CONNELL is facing probably the biggest test of his captaincy skills this week.

Along with the management, O’Connell must help galvanise a side which, not alone is in last-weekend mode, but is facing into what amounts to a dead rubber with only pride and averting a whitewash at stake. On the face of it, his captaincy looks an almost thankless task this weekend.

Although there was no shame in defeat, and O’Connell’s captaincy has been lauded by Ronan O’Gara, Mike Phillips, Brian O’Driscoll and, yesterday, scrum coach Graham Rowntree, he has become an easy target for some.

Furthermore, O’Connell must face into Saturday’s third Test without probably his most trusted lieutenant in O’Driscoll as well as the two first-choice props whom he described as “outstanding”. His Irish captain is also the team’s most experienced and creative spark, whom O’Connell described as the lynchpin of the team.

O’Driscoll has been “incredibly valuable” to O’Connell. “He’s a quiet confidence about him, Brian, and it’s a great thing to have in a team, especially in a backline. One thing I always say about Brian is that when one of your most potent attacking players is also your best and honest defender, I think it’s a very galvanising thing for a team. When your best player is willing to dig as deep as any of you, y’know, the mules in the front five or whatever, it’s a big plus for the spirit of the team and for the resolve of the team.”

Some of those that remain are probably in need of particularly sensitive man-management after the mental scars of last Saturday’s second Test, none more so than his long-time team-mate and friend O’Gara. Out of courtesy to his Munster and Irish colleague, O’Connell probably played down his role here.

“He was disappointed, he was very low and I’ve spoken to him briefly but he’s a tough guy. He’s mentally very tough, that’s his biggest strength, and what happened won’t be lost on him – no doubt about it. He’ll know what happened. But he’s tough enough to know that he’s been at the top, he’s won games for teams and when you put yourself out there for Lions selection, Irish selection, whenever your club side is in big games, these things happen from time to time.

“Our careers aren’t always up, up, up; there’s tough days as well and the best players bounce back from them and Ronan will the same as anyone.”

Admitting that the first few days of the week were tough, he’s enjoyed “the way the players have really aspired to win for the Lions, but the real enjoyment comes from winning and the feeling in the dressingroom after you’ve won a Test match or a big match for your club is the best feeling in rugby. And unfortunately in the last two weeks we’ve come close but haven’t had that.”

All in all, O’Connell appeared to be carrying the pressures well yesterday, when the Lions emerged from off-tour mode with their first media briefings in over 72 hours. “We had three days off, guys were able to get it out of their system, did a few activities and stuff.

“And I think guys are just looking forward to the game at the weekend and looking forward to finishing on a high. You’d think that straight away after the game people would be really dreading it, but I think straight away after the game probably some of us were looking forward to this weekend.

“It’s not ideal. We’d love to be here at one-all, but that’s life and I think the guys are professional enough to do that.”

Attaining the same emotional pitch as when the series was still alive looks, on the face of it, much harder, though O’Connell claimed the players were enthused again. “I don’t see why there should be a problem. I know what you’re saying, everything isn’t on the line like it was last Saturday, but still for a lot of us it’s going to be a chance to put on a Lions Test jersey again. The way the tour has gone, the way it’s been managed and the way we’ve tried to manage it ourselves, we won’t be taking that lightly.”

Somewhat surprisingly, precedent favours the Lions, who went to the last Test and averted a prospective whitewash in 1938 when 2-0 down and winning 21-16 in Newlands; when 3-0 down in 1980 and winning 17-13 in Loftus Versfeld. But coming up short in any way could well be exposed by a Springbok team hell-bent on earning wider recognition for their achievement in winning the series by also becoming the first Springboks’ side to complete a Lions whitewash.

“You look at the intensity of last weekend and I think you have to bring everything you can to the game. Passion and emotion still, for me and a lot of the guys, plays a massive part in the game so, the same as any other week, it’s important to get that right.”

O’Connell said they would be eager to prove themselves. “We want to win in a Lions jersey. There’s a massive respect for what the Lions is among the squad. Even chatting among the players you really do feel that all the time and I think pulling on a Test jersey is going to be big for whoever gets picked at the weekend.”

Probed continuously about the Schalk Burger gouging and suspension, O’Connell appeared almost slightly amused, playing a fairly straight bat and pointing out that: “He won’t be on the pitch so it’s irrelevant.”

Although aghast at South Africa head coach Pieter de Villiers’ comments, O’Connell wasn’t expecting an apology from Burger, and said both sides had to move on. “You just can’t get hung up about it. Whoever decided he’s got an eight-week suspension you must move on and that’s it.”

Typical O’Connell.