No holding back here.

Sean O’Brien says the Lions could have whitewashed the series against the All Blacks this summer if they had a better coaching team. O’Brien, who started all three Tests, doesn’t hold back in a stunning interview.

The Leinster star says the players were lacking structure.

“If we had a little more structure during the weeks, and more of an attack gameplan, driven way earlier in the tour, I think we could have won 3-0,” O’Brien said.

“With the players we had, we should have won the series.”

O’Brien was particularly critical of attack coach Rob Howley, stating Owen Farrell and Jonny Sexton were “running our attack shape” by the end of the tour.

“The coaches have a lot to answer for in terms of our attack rather than Johnny and Faz trying to drive it,” said O’Brien.

“If I was being critical of any coach it would be the fact that I think Rob struggled with the group in terms of his attributes of trying to get stuff across whereas Johnny and Owen drove everything the second week, for instance, in our attack and had a better plan in place.”

“So I don’t know if it was people not buying into what he was about or whatever else.”

“That’s the hard thing about a Lions tour as well; getting everyone to listen to a coach that was probably set in his ways.”

“That’s the hard thing about a Lions tour as well; getting everyone to listen to a coach that was probably set in his ways.”

A number of coaches famously turned down positions on the tour this summer, including Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend. Next time round O’Brien says it’s paramount that the best coaches are recruited, suggest this wasn’t the case for New Zealand.

“Coaching-wise they need to make sure they have the best coaches in the best positions – attack, defence, forwards, whatever it may be on a Lions tour,” he added.

[BBC]