All Blacks captain praises ‘brilliant’ O’Driscoll
All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga has praised his Lions counterpart Brian O’Driscoll as the Irish captain prepares to spearhead a tour revival in Wellington on Wednesday.
O’Driscoll starts his second game in five days, with Lions boss Sir Clive Woodward preparing to send out a near Test-strength side.
O’Driscoll will be at the heart of that effort, and Umaga has no doubt about his qualities.
“I played against him twice against Ireland,” said Umaga. “He’s a brilliant player and a very good man, very relaxed, and I’ve got a lot of time for him as a player and as a person.
Umaga would have opposed O’Driscoll in a mouthwatering midfield clash, had he not been on All Blacks squad duty with his fellow Wellington-based stars Jerry Collins, Rodney So’oialo and Conrad Smith.
And while the Lions’ degree of difficulty is eased by their combined absence, they must still produce a convincing display following Saturday’s emphatic defeat against New Zealand Maori.
“For Brian, it’s not that he will captaining (the Lions) alone,” said Umaga. “He’s got so much experience there with him, and I know he will get the help required.
“It’s the same with us. You cannot expect one guy to do it all or try to be the main talker, because it’s just impractical with so many people on the field.
“You have to develop leaders, but they (the Lions) don’t have to because they are all leaders in that side and the senior players have pretty much played for their country for a long time.”
England veteran Neil Back, meanwhile, is ready to pen a memorable final chapter of his illustrious World Cup-winning career – and create Lions history in the process.
Back, 37 next January, has already achieved a landmark feat as the oldest player ever selected for an original Lions tour squad.
But now, he could be just 80 minutes away from clinching a Test match place after starting the tour trailing in Six Nations player of the season Martyn Williams’ slipstream.
Leicester flanker Back’s degree of difficulty was already acute enough, yet he compounded the task by landing a four-week ban for punching ex-England colleague Joe Worsley during last month’s Zurich Premiership final at Twickenham.
It considerably delayed his Lions entry in New Zealand, and prompted many detractors to doubt what sort of impact he could make.
But a poor Lions display against the Maori, when Williams was largely ineffective and prone to conceding penalties, means Back has a golden opportunity, with coach Sir Clive Woodward predicting a “super-charged” performance from him
“Everyone is playing for very big stakes, so it is no different for me. I haven’t been able to play so far, and now, this will be my first opportunity,” said Back, who will pack down in the back-row alongside his Leicester colleague Martin Corry and Ireland’s Simon Easterby.
“As everyone is aware, after this tour my playing career is over and I will be coaching next year (with Leicester), but I see myself very much as a player at the moment.
“It has been fantastic to join up with the lads, and I’ve learnt a lot, even at my time in life, and I am enjoying the experience tremendously.
“I enjoy playing the game so much. I have always looked after myself and tried to keep ahead, even in the amateur era. I’ve tried to push the boundaries.
“It has been difficult, I am not the greatest watcher of games, but I have had to go through that because of what happened at the end of the season.
“I think it has given me a little bit of an advantage because I have been able to hook up with the guys in training and get away from the knocks and bangs for a couple of weeks. I’ve had a heavy season, and the rest has done me good.”
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