Springbok coach Peter de Villiers obviously disagrees, as he has stated, but British and Irish Lions captain Paul O'Connell believes his Class of 2009 can emulate Willie John McBride's 1974 version and become true legends.

Speaking to the media in the build-up to his team's tour opener, against a Royal XV in Rustenburg on Saturday, O'Connell suggested that another 3-0 sweep of South African in the Test series is not just a pipedream.

O'Connell makes no secret of his admiration for the qualities displayed by McBride's 1974 Lions and the victorious 1997 side led by Martin Johnson - the only Lions teams to win on South Africa soil in the last century.

"Probably 1974 is what made those players legends and that is what we are here to do," the Ireland lock told a media gathering.

"If we can win a Test series against South Africa it would be massive for our careers. I think it is the ultimate for any player's career.

"The Lions in South Africa tends to be the pinnacle of any player's career in the four home nations.

"And for us to come here and win, that's what legends are made of. That is what our goal is."

His remarks follow the barb by the Bok coach, De Villiers, earlier this week when he gave his team 'legendary' status and reduced the Lions to a good, but ordinary team.

"The guys you've got now are good, but they will never be like the 1974 Lions," De Villiers told a media gathering that included a number of the members from the British and Irish contingent.

"They will never be legends in their own time, while I think we [the Springboks] do have it now and that's a big difference."

O'Connell did not make specific reference to De Villiers, but he clearly feels the Lions have some qualities that the Bok coach is overlooking.

"It's about making sure we develop as a team as quickly as we can," added O'Connell.

"It is really about ourselves at this stage of the tour. Sure, we want to perform, we want to play well and score tries, but it is all about making steps in the right direction and becoming a team."

  • Can the Lions replicate the 1974 team? Comments below!

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