Paul O'Connell thinks that the British & Irish Lions are a lot stronger than the squad that failed in 2005.
 
O'Connell will captain the team when they travel to South Africa next month and is feeling very positive about their chances.
 
The Munster lock was involved in the squad that were crushed by New Zealand back in 2005, but he thinks that this current squad is much stronger as it boasts a lot more winners.
 
He pointed out the fact that the recent success enjoyed by Ireland and Wales gives them players that are used to winning crunch games and that could be the major difference between this squad and Clive Woodward's one from 2005.
 
"On the Lions tour the odds are stacked against you, so you need a lot of things to go your way," O'Connell said on Setanta Sports News.
 
"In 2005, if you look at the injuries to Lawrence [Dallaglio], Richard Hill, and Brian O'Driscoll, they really set us back. Probably a lot of Munster players didn't bring our best form on the tour as well.
 
"We had a very big touring party, which looked good on paper, but when you got out there we were struggling.
 
"But I think that a lot more players going on the tour this time round are a lot more successful. The Irish have fulfilled their potential by finally winning a Grand Slam, the Welsh have two now under their belts, a World Player of the Year, World Cup winners, and there are a lot of guys that have achieved a lot of success and I think you want to go on to the next level.
 
"For a lot of us being on a successful Lions tour is the next level, so I think success-wise a lot more players are more rounded now and ready to achieve something special with the Lions."