Paul O’Connell discusses what’s tough about touring in New Zealand

Paul O’Connell talks about the demands of touring New Zealand.

The British and Irish Lions travel to New Zealand this June with a ‘slim chance’ of beating the New Zealand according to former Lion Paul O’Connell. He believes the players of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England will have to produce the best form of their careers in order to beat the mighty All Blacks..

O’Connell has plenty experience when it comes to being a Lion. He was involved in three tours in 2005, 2009, and 2013. His first being the disastrous tour of New Zealand under Clive Woodward. He also played four tests for Ireland against the All Blacks in New Zealand. He’s knows extremely well what it is like to play down there.

O’Connell was speaking on Wednesday to 2fm’s show game on and explained that one factor which makes playing in New Zealand so tough.

He said:

‘It’s a difficult place to tour. The weather isn’t going to be amazing down there. You could say we should be used to that, but the weather isn’t great. It’s going to be quite claustrophobic from a rugby point of view’.

‘You can be on a Lions tour in a place like Sydney and there’s a whole lot to do outside the Lions tour. You can get away from it quite easily’.

‘The weather is really good, it’s a great city to be in; the same in Melbourne. Different places in South Africa are the same. New Zealand, from that point of view, is going to be really difficult’.

‘It’s going to be a really, really tough tour. I think it’s probably the ultimate achievement in rugby to go and win a Test series in New Zealand’.