O’Connell donned a green and white training top, picked up a hurley stick and got involved in a puck around with some of his Irish Lions team mates after one of the tourists’ training sessions.
Most of the non-Irish members of the looked on bemused, but England’s Joe Worsley was giving the ancient game of hurling a good go.
Worsley connected with one of his first shots at goal so hard that captain O’Connell was forced into rapid evasive action, looking utterly stunned for a second - as did the rest of the on looking Irish.
Twenty nine-year-old O’Connell, who played hurling with South Liberties at under-age level, will no doubt be keeping a close eye on how the Limerick footballers fare against Clare in Sunday’s Munster semi-final and on the progress of the county’s hurlers in Sunday week’s provincial semi-final clash with Waterford a week later.
Saturday’s big clash
In the meantime, O’Connell and his Lions’ team-mates turn their attentions to Saturday’s big clash with the Cheetahs at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein (2pm kick-off Irish time).
The Lions management team are using different combinations in these early tour matches to help them find the best starting line-up for the three upcoming Tests against the Springboks. Captain O’Connell has been impressed with the camaraderie and spirit in the Lions squad.
“Everyone’s out on the pitch at the same time, everyone’s in the gym at the same time, everyone’s in and around the training ground at the same time. I think there’s a lot of good friendships being made, a lot of characters emerging already and that’s going to be a big thing for us,” Paul O’Connell said.
“I said a week ago that the talent is there in the group, the coaching is there in the group and now it’s up to us to perform as a team.”
Lions defensive coach Shaun Edwards this week described the British & Irish Lions’ quest for a Test series victory over the world champion Springboks as ‘the ultimate rugby challenge.’
The day after South African coach Peter de Villiers announced his 28 man squad for the three-Test Castle Series, Edwards saying being involved in the tour was the biggest project he had faced in his coaching career to date.
“This is the ultimate rugby challenge. We have seven weeks to get together to play a team that has been together for almost seven years,” Shaun Edwards said.
“It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever been a part of in my coaching career. We know the Springboks are a very good side and they have huge depth in quality with great experience, speed and power from 1-15.”
Defence torn to shreds
Edwards was as hurt as any of the players at seeing his defensive systems torn to shreds by the makeshift Royal XV in the opening game last weekend.
They scored three tries and hit the Lions with a succor punch from a line-out by using their driving maul to squeeze hooker Rayno Barnes over.
“The one thing we know for sure is that we aren’t going to win a Test series if we let in three tries a game against the Springboks,” Shaun Edwards said.
“I met a couple of South Africans in the hotel lobby the other day and they asked me how I was involved with the Lions. When I told them I was the defence coach they just said, ‘best of luck mate’.”
Edwards voiced his concern and opinions to the players over the three tries the Lions’ conceded in their first outing and he expects things to be much better as the tour progresses.
“The players are just an extension of me really. If they miss a tackle I’m with them in spirit and body. I’m just like a player who has a bad game when I see my team concede tries – it hurts,” he added.
“Then you just can’t wait for the next game. That’s how I’m feeling about this game on Wednesday night.
“The first-half against the Royal XV didn’t go very well, but I was pretty happy with the second half when we lowered our error count.
A tough task
Lions assistant coach Warren Gatland believes the Blue Bulls’ stunning Super 14 triumph last weekend has underlined how tough a task the British and Irish Lions face in South Africa.
South Africa is still buzzing after the Bulls’ remarkable 61-17 demolition of Waikato Chiefs. And it sent out strong warning signals to the Lions, given the Bulls’ sizeable contingent of Springboks who will feature in Test series action later this month.
Warren Gatland said: “The Bulls were pretty special in the Super 14 final. They would have probably beaten most sides in the world, including international teams.
“I spoke to some of the Chiefs side, and they said they were blown away by a really physical side.
“That is the challenge, for us to try and match that power and physicality in the next few weeks. You see guys accelerating into the breakdown, getting low and being really aggressive. We have to improve dramatically in that area.
“That is my challenge. We have to keep saying to the guys that every collision is 100%. That is the only way we have a chance of getting on the front foot and getting some quality ball.”
The Cheetahs
The Cheetahs have named a quartet of disregarded Springboks in their team to face the British & Irish Lions in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Flanker Heinrich Brüssow, who has one cap to his name, can count himself unlucky not to be part of South Africa’s 28-man squad to face the Lions after an impressive Super 14 campaign.
And Brüssow is joined in the side by Meyer Bosman, Wian du Preez and Adriaan Strauss, who were all part of the training group that took on the Nambian Invitation XV but failed to make the final cut.
With the exception of Springbok blindside flank Juan Smith, the team is a near carbon copy of the one which featured in most of the Super 14.
Hendro Scholtz will lead the side in Smith’s absence as he did earlier this year. The Lions name their starting line-up this Thursday afternoon.
Free State Cheetahs: Hennie Daniller; Danwel Demas, Corne Uys, Meyer Bosman, JW Jonker; Jaques- Louis Potgieter, Tewis De Bruyn; Wian Du Preez, Adriaan Strauss, Kobus Calldo; Nico Breedt, David De Villiers; Heinrich Brussow, Francois Uys, Hendro Scholtz (captain).
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, WP Nel, Frans Viljoen, Kabamba Floors, Gerrie Odendaal, Louis Strydom, Fabian Juries.
Colm Kinsella
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