Mooted as a possible captain Lions captain this summer, O'Connell has suffered his fair share of injuries already and but for those would surely have added to his caps haul despite age being on his side.

The Munster second row made his Ireland debut in February 2002 against Wales, scoring his first try, but injuries ruled him out of their next two Six Nations games.

He returned to face Italy, France and then the All Blacks, but again injury sidelined him and he had to wait until March 2003 to return as a replacement against England.

A prodigiously hard worker and gifted athlete, O'Connell is a fearsome competitor both defensively and on the break – as his four international tries demonstrate.

O'Connell was handed the Ireland captaincy last year in the absence of Brian O'Driscoll - hence his chance of taking the job on here - and he could be the man BOD turns to in marshalling the front eight, particularly if he is allowed to continue his partnership with Malcolm O'Kelly for the Lions.