Seán O’Brien hopes his versatility will pay off come Test time

Versatility is undoubtedly a plus in a touring environment such as with the Lions, and having impressed at openside in the win over the Force, Seán O'Brien had to make the most of his opportunity when switched to blindside in accommodating the selection of Justin Tipuric yesterday.

O’Brien had perhaps less opportunity to rumble as he does, whereas Tipuric was again arguably the star turn, as he had been in many respects against the Barbarians in Hong Kong.

Indeed, with Heaslip in between them, that is arguably the form backrow trio at the moment, but Warren Gatland is a huge Dan Lydiate fan and there is a growing army of backers behind Tom Croft's candidature, whose presence would certainly afford the Lions their best line-out option at blindside.

In any event, nothing changes, in that Sam Warburton needs a big game against the Waratahs on Saturday to ensure his selection in the first Test for history has taught as that Gatland is capable of being true to his word in not picking the tour captain if he doesn't merit selection in his own right.

'It was good'
"Yeah, it was good," said O'Brien of "different combinations every week", adding: "When the team was announced during the week, I knew Tips is a very, very smart player and a good link man as well and he's a good trapper, so if you're near him you're looking for a poach and you try and get in with him.

“Obviously we’re getting used to each other as well, this was the first time playing with Tips and I think from that run we worked well tonight.”

As to his own performance in this new combination, O’Brien was merely “happy enough”, adding: “I dropped a ball in the second half in their 22 but other than that I was happy enough. I did what I had to do, job-wise, and kept working to the very end.”

Looking ahead to the Waratahs game, O'Brien added: "We're getting closer and closer to the Test games and teams are going to try and come at us a little bit harder and they'll be no different.

'Tough game'
"It's going to be a very tough game and whatever side is picked for the Lions we're going to have our hands full at the start of the game again.

“They’re really going to come at us out of the blocks and try and hurt us a little bit so it’s going to be massively intense again.”

He would enjoy playing against his former coach Michael Cheika, although that is unlikely given it will now be the turn of, perhaps, Croft and Warburton. "I know Cheiks very well with him being at Leinster. He's an animated character as well, so I'm sure he'll have them fired up and wanting to be really aggressive and come hard at us."

As to whether they were going to see the Test team on Saturday, which is unlikely, O’Brien smiled: “You’re guess is as good as mine. I don’t think so but who knows?

“Every week you could say, is this the Test team but it’s all up in the air in every position and we’re just trying to do our own jobs and keep the head down and the coaches will pick the Test side when it comes to it.”