On 21 April 2009, O'Connell was named as the British & Irish Lions captain for the 2009 tour to South Africa. He commented at the time: "I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It's a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game." He started the first test defeat alongside Alun Wyn Jones on 20 June 2009. He led the Lions in the second test with a new second-row partner in the form Simon Shaw as the Lions lost the match and with it, the series. O'Connell started in the last test of the series where the Lions managed a consolation victory to avoid the first whitewash by South Africa in 118 years.