THREE IRELAND players sat in a Cork hotel and allowed themselves the fleeting distraction of surmising what it might be like to be part of the Lions squad that will tour South Africa next month. For Ronan O’Gara, Donncha O’Callaghan and Tomás O’Leary, trying to put their emotions in context must have been akin to being asked just how good Christmas might be, 10 days before your birthday.

Munster are currently involved in trying to win the Magners League while there is also the small matter of a Heineken Cup semi-final against Leinster at Croke Park on Saturday week.

There was no mistaking the delight and honour all three felt but there are more pressing matters that are difficult to ignore.

Players are superstitious, reluctant to invite bad luck, so there was at times a slightly guarded response to teasing out the subject of the Lions tour.

O’Gara encapsulated the general dynamic when suggesting that, “I won’t even think about (Lions) after today. It is a happy and exciting day but tomorrow morning I’m going into training.

“Dumper (Munster coach Tony McGahan) is going to be dishing out what he wants for the rest of the season and that’s exactly what I want for the rest of the season. So that’s my focus, to be honest.”

O’Gara, one of two outhalves in the squad – Welshman Stephen Jones is the other – played down the notion that it was a straight fight for the number 10 jersey.

“I don’t know how they’ll (Lions coaches) see it. I’m not privy to that information but all I know is that judging by what has happened in this selection they’re going to be rewarding form. So the key is to try and maintain the form of the last few weeks going forward.

“I probably would have rated Stephen higher than the other outhalf if there was another outhalf picked on the tour. Stephen Jones doesn’t really come into my head – that’s not being cocky or arrogant. What I concentrate on is myself and the team I’m involved in.

“I suppose what works for me is that I get myself right and then see how it goes.

“It would be (ultimate goal to make the Test XV) but it’s not the be-all and end-all. At this stage I’m probably a little bit mellower, but have still huge drive in me. I’ve two young babies – that’s the most important thing in my life and then obviously the next thing is getting on the Test team for the Lions. I want to achieve things with Munster well before that.”

O’Gara heard of his call-up when Dougie Howlett turned on a radio and called him over from a kicking session. For O’Leary, the news came while he was in the gym, getting physiotherapy. His priorities all season had been to earn a place on the Munster and Ireland teams but in the last couple of weeks he’d allowed himself a couple of furtive thoughts about the Lions.

“I was hugely motivated growing up to make it in whatever sport I was playing. Hurling was my main sport and my love when I was younger. As I got better at rugby in school, my ambition turned to that.

“I always harboured ambitions of playing senior for Cork, but once I turned to rugby I wanted to get to the top. Obviously the top is getting selected for the Lions and it is a huge honour and privilege.”

O’Callaghan was less reticent to cap his emotion, offering a glimpse of his sense of humour when admitting: “I was thrilled. It’s always a huge honour to be picked out as one of the elite of four countries. It’s something I don’t take for granted. I’m just so proud really.

“I’ll try not to sound like Deccie (Declan Kidney), but it’s one of those days where it’s for all your school teachers, underage coaches; people who put you in the position, guys down in Cork Con who helped you out.

“It’s a day for them to be really proud because they invested their time and being picked on a Lions squad is one of the greatest honours.”

The satisfaction was not confined to Cork. At their respective training grounds in Wales and Belfast, Tommy Bowe and Stephen Ferris elaborated on what being selected for the Lions meant to them. Bowe pointed out: “After doing the Grand Slam with Ireland it pretty much rounds off a great season. It’s been a long, tense wait so I’m just thrilled. A Lions tour is a pretty special thing and all rugby fans know about the folklore. To be confirmed as part of the 2009 Lions is an incredible feeling.”

Ferris smiled: “It’s pretty hard to believe but I will go out there and enjoy every minute of it. It’s the pinnacle of rugby. I’m going to relish the opportunity to get stuck into supposedly the best pack in world rugby. To get an opportunity to get into the Test side is massive and I’ll be doing everything I can to do that.”