In an exclusive interview with Leader Sport 29-year-old O’Connell said he owed a debt of gratitude to the numerous sports coaches who had helped him develop into one of the world’s leading sports men.
“I was contacted last Tuesday of last week about the captaincy. I was thrilled about it. Captaincy is not something I have ever aspired to. You get offered it,” O’Connell pointed out.
“To have been offered the position with the Lions is a great honour for Young Munster and Munster too.
“As soon as I got the word I let my parents and my brothers know. They were thrilled. We are a big rugby family. I have been very fortunate with the kind of mentors and coaches I have come across in Limerick.
“They were in school at Ardscoil Ris, Young Munster, with Seal and Limerick Swimming Clubs and Limerick Golf Club. So many guys have helped me. I remember the first time I played with Young Munster. It was probably in an under-8 seven-a-side tournament. Every coach I had along the way helped me greatly to develop.
“If I had been attached to a club other than Young Munster I wonder would I be where I am today?
“A lot of the Munster guys seemed to avoid asking me about the captaincy in the lead up to the announcement. They didn’t want to put me in an awkward position.
“That was funny.”
O’Connell revealed that the first thing he did when he was handed the 37-strong squad for this summer’s 10-game tour to South Africa was scour the sheet for the names of his Munster team mates.
“When I was handed the sheet containing the squad names on Monday night, one of the first things I did was scan it for the guys I am closest to,” Paul O’Connell explained.
“Anyone would be biased in that case. I was thrilled for the guys who had made it, but when I saw that John (Hayes), Marcus (Horan) and Denis (Leamy) had not, my thoughts were with them. They had contributed so much to Munster and Ireland all year.
“It is very tough on those who don’t make it, but you are thrilled for the likes of Quinny (Alan Quinlan) who has worked so hard all year.
“It was just reward. He has been very unfortunate with injuries.
“Keith (Earls) is a very exciting player, a great athlete.
“His father Ger was one of my favourite players growing up.”
Paul O’Connell played in all three test matches in the Lions’ unsuccessful tour to New Zealand four years ago in 2005. The number of players included from Paul O’Connell’s Munster side - eight - equals the mark set by Newport in 1910 and Leicester Tigers for the 2005 tour. Twenty-one-year-old Keith Earls and experienced flanker Alan Quinlan both gained call-ups. They will be joined by hooker Jerry Flannery, lock Donncha O’Callaghan, back-row David Wallace, as well as half-backs Tomas O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara.
2009 British & Irish Lions
Backs: Lee Byrne (Wales), Rob Kearney (Ireland), Shane Williams (Wales), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Ugo Monye (England), Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland), Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Tom Shanklin (Wales), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Keith Earls (Ireland), Riki Flutey (England), Ronan O'Gara (Ireland), Stephen Jones (Wales), Mike Phillips (Wales), Harry Ellis (England), Tomas O'Leary (Ireland).
Forwards: Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), Andy Powell (Wales), David Wallace (Ireland), Stephen Ferris (Ireland), Alan Quinlan (Ireland), Joe Worsley (England), Martyn Williams (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland) (captain), Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland), Simon Shaw (England), Nathan Hines (Scotland), Gethin Jenkins (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Andrew Sheridan (England), Phil Vickery (England), Euan Murray (Scotland), Jerry Flannery (Ireland), Lee Mears (England), Matthew Rees (Wales).
Colm Kinsella
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