Gordon D'arcy and journalist Gerry Thornley joined us to give us an insight into the type of captain that Conor Murray will be on the Lions tour.

D'arcy spoke of the circumstances surrounding his appointment and how Gatland had unwittingly given a sense that an enforced change would benefit another of the squad's leaders.

"[The decision] was made even more strange by the way that Gats talked about Owen Farrell during the week, it was very clear that everyone wanted Farrell in the leadership group and he got the most votes," said D'arcy.

"He would have loved to have taken that soundbite back if he knew what was going to confront him.

"There is another talismanic figure in there in Farrell, we liken him to Johnny Sexton, but he is just not guaranteed his starting place.

"The thing about Lions tours is that there was no continuity between them, and Conor Murray brings a continuity between three Lions tours and that experience that just cannot be recreated. He has played under brilliant captains.

"You tease out what he has said, and you look at the names we were surprised at [not being captain] - Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje - those guys have to get in the team."

Conor Murray

D'arcy believes that the example set by former Ireland captain Rory Best is an important one.

"Rory would have set a brilliant template because he had Johnny Sexton and Peter O'Mahony, these guys are massive guys to try and harness and get the best out of the team.

"'A wise man knows what he doesn't know', there is an awful lot of captaincy that Conor probably doesn't know but he doesn't need to know because he has got an army of them behind him who have done it all before.

"Whether it is an Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, or Ken Owens and getting their feel for things, maybe not for the big decisions on the pitch, but as training is unfolding.

"A lot of that is taking that information in, absorbing it and facilitating these to perform."

Temperament

Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley concurs.

"He doesn't let much faze him or bother him. He's even-tempered and has proven with two World Cups and three Lions tours that he is a very, very good tourist.

"He went to a World Cup as a surprise third choice scrum-half and ended up as first-choice scrum-half.

"He gets better and better as tours go on, he seems to enjoy the whole touring concept. His temperament seems to suit this role. If he just reproduces his best form, to lead from the front, and use the lieutenants around him, that will help him."

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