Nick Cain: O’Driscoll is on the case to find any Kiwi flaws

When it comes to the lengths New Zealand will go to turn over the Lions there are none with better first-hand knowledge than Brian O'Driscoll. The captain of the ill-fated 2005 Lions saw no more than a minute of action in the Test series after an off-the-ball incident in which he was upended and driven into the turf by All Black captain Tana Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu, dislocating his shoulder.
He didn't play again for five months, and, shamefully, New Zealand rugby circled the wagons so that his assailants escaped disciplinary sanction. Thankfully, O'Driscoll bounced back to become a three-series Lions Test centre, forming a spectacularly effective partnership with Jamie Roberts in 2009 in South Africa, and finishing as part of Warren Gatland's triumphant side in Australia four years ago.
Having hung up his boots and since become a TV commentator, and also an ambassador for Land Rover as a principal sponsor of the Lions, O'Driscoll is part of their tour to find grassroots rugby people who typify the values of resilience, integrity and passion. Those who do will qualify for a Land Rover trip to the first Test of the 2017 tour in Auckland in June.
The search kicked off at Staines RFC in midweek, with O'Driscoll joining Lions head coach Gatland, and fellow Lions legends Martin Johnson, Gareth Edwards and Gavin Hastings, in a surprise ambush of a Whitton Lions RFC training session.
It is great to see the 2017 Lions maintaining the link between the gold standard of British and Irish rugby and grass-roots clubs like Whitton and Staines, because the strength of the Union code lies in amateur community clubs continuing to thrive, and providing encouraging environments where young players are fostered.
However, the shop window of the sport is still its main inspirational key, and O'Driscoll is keenly aware of the boost in profile that a first series victory in New Zealand for 46 years would give the game in Britain and Ireland.
That's why he does not duck when asked how the 2005 Lions, who were blackwashed 3-0, got it so badly wrong.
“We all learned from 2005, and the things that got fixed in 2009. It's difficult to play with two separate squads, and you've got to have buy-in and unity from everyone – and that comes from backing-up in midweek. That's a bit old school, but that's the reality of what Lions tours require.”
However, O'Driscoll is optimistic that the 2017 tourists can get it right, based not just on the quantity of quality players available to Gatland, but also on gains in skills made by forwards in the four home unions which will make the Lions a threat to NZ.
“A big aspect is the interplay between forwards and backs – the ball-handling of the tight five has really improved in the Northern Hemisphere. If I was to pinpoint one thing from the 2015 World Cup until now that differentiates, it is that the skill levels in all four teams in the front five has improved. I don't know if that's been a conscious thing, but it's been apparent to me.”
O'Driscoll contends that it means the All Blacks will not have the monopoly in front five footballers they have enjoyed in the past, although he singles out lock Brodie Retallick as the pick of the current crop.
“New Zealand have had the edge on many teams because of the skill-set and the comfort of their props and second rows being ball-players. Not just being good links, but actually being ball-players. Retallick is one of their best first receivers – it's not just the manner in which he carries, but also the way he drops off or throws passes behind to other forwards. You never know what person he's going to play to. Northern Hemisphere teams have got better at that.”
O'Driscoll believes that the Lions might also have the means to apply set-piece pressure on New Zealand in the same way Ireland did in their landmark autumn series victory in Chicago.
“One thing the Lions will have learned from Ireland's victory is that if you deny NZ good quality set-piece, particularly lineout, then you can stop them getting over the advantage line at first phase and stop them getting into their multi-phase.
“It's a good way to start breaking their play up. Secondly, the pressure you exert in defence to make them cough up unforced errors – which is unlike them – comes from expectation of the hit coming.”
Does that mean the All Blacks have lost their force-field of superiority? O'Driscoll answers: “Their only vulnerability comes from looking human. They looked inhuman for large periods of time – and now it's good to be served a reminder within the season of the tour taking place that there are areas that were exposed. Which, for me, gives the 2017 Lions a shot in the arm.”
Another feelgood factor is a Six Nations which O'Driscoll says shows a greater spread of talent among the home unions than for decades.
“The fact that all four teams are showing well is a real bonus. Scotland look as if they have two or three guys who would be in the Test 23 if you were picking the team now. Wales after a disappointing six months have upped their game and have some players playing very well, in particular their back row, and their centres look as if they are back on form. So, there going to be some major selection issues for Gats all right.”
On the debit side the Lions are, as ever, handicapped by lack of preparation time. However, does that not also make them a very hard side to prepare to play against? For instance, New Zealand will get only three Saturdays and three midweek matches to assess the Lions Test team.
O'Driscoll responds: “Ordinarily, that's probably true, but the All Blacks don't concern themselves much about any other side – they don't worry that much about the opposition. They very much focus on themselves, and believe that if they can get their game plan right then no team in world rugby will be able to live with them. So, it's a slightly different mentality you're dealing with, with New Zealand.”
However, given the amount of analysis that goes on in the programme, could the Lions get some benefit from the All Black strategists not having much to look at?
“That's a stretch,” O'Driscoll says. “The Lions have got to get some kind of a game plan going in those three weeks – you can't chop and change and hold your cards for the Tests. You've got to try to showcase what way you are going to play. More often than not that's a pretty simplified game plan with lack of time in the lead-in.”
He adds: “You are not going to see any new style of game we haven't seen before – Gatland will know he has to define how they are going to play, with everyone on the same page, and with a massive intensity that, hopefully, New Zealand will struggle with.”
That's a thought worth holding onto. So is the genuine substance behind Brian O'Driscoll's faith in the 2017 Lions.
* Land Rover is on the hunt for grassroots Lions to join them on the Lions Tour to New Zealand 2017. For your chance to win a place on tour, go to @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal