'Oh my God, I'm so glad I'm retired!': Brian O'Driscoll's verdict on Wallabies trump card as huge Lions selection calls loom

Anticipation is building for the British and Irish Lions squad announcement as coach Andy Farrell prepares to reveal his hand for the bumper June-August tour of Australia.

Farrell will on Thursday (11pm AEST) dish out his golden tickets at a live event in London in front of more than 2000 Lions fans at the O2 Arena.

And who better to set the scene with than Lions legend Brian O'Driscoll, who sat down with Wide World of Sports to preview the series.

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Ireland icon O'Driscoll is a global HSBC ambassador who will travel to Australia for a tour that features three Tests among nine fixtures Down Under.

O'Driscoll, viewed by most experts as the greatest No.13 to ever play the game, watched on in awe as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii won man of the match on Test debut last year against England.

Suaalii played all four Tests for Australia in the Autumn Nations Series.

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"I was super impressed with him," O'Driscoll said.

"The really tricky part is obviously defending at 13, and being able to read front door and out the back. I think because he's fast and he's so athletic, he has that capacity to maybe... as he's learning his craft, stay a little bit longer on the short runner, but then still have the capacity to get out.

"But he was very good against Ireland in November, obviously very good against England, and that aerial game was wild. He is quite like that rangy, Israel Folau-type athlete, but packs a serious punch."

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Suaalii has since shone at fullback for a struggling NSW Waratahs outfit this season and was on O'Driscoll's radar before the Sydney Roosters star had even switched codes.

But Suaalii's tackle technique is under scrutiny again after he flattened Wallabies teammate Noah Lolesio in Canberra on Saturday night.

"I obviously saw that red card in the Origin as well. I was like: 'oh my God, I'm so glad I'm retired!' He obviously hits hard too, but yeah, a very exciting player, and someone that... when you have that level of athleticism, it's hard not to find yourself applauding moments," O'Driscoll gushed.

"That chip, catch and play (against) England was... not many players have that in their locker. So when you're doing that in your first game for your country... you just think, wow. When you get some air miles, and you get some experience, how good is this guy going to be?"

Every man and his dog have been picking their predicted Lions squads up north.

Most are stacked full of Ireland players for obvious reasons, given Farrell's successful time at the helm since taking the reins from Joe Schmidt.

But Ireland's form dipped in the Six Nations this year, finishing third behind France and England.

O'Driscoll feels that shift has undoubtedly changed the selection complexion for Farrell and his panel.

"Absolutely, I would say that's fair. You probably could have been looking at 18 or 19 Irish guys if you'd won the championship, I think that's going to reduce the numbers down," he said.

"I think it'll still be heavily Irish-led, because coaches work on muscle memory. The players have been there and done it for them, and performed it, delivered, and a lot of that Irish team, the guts of it will have done that.

"So, yeah, I think the 50-50 calls, he'll probably still lean on the Irish component, but you might see (England's Maro) Itoje as captain. Maybe that will take a little bit of the pressure off (with selection). Obviously, he's done a good job with England. You know he's a guaranteed starter. And so maybe that's kind of a happy medium that you go with an Itoje as captain.

"There are, of course, politics involved. It's four teams. So you've got to play that game a little bit too, and maybe that's his route into it."

The Lions beat the Wallabies 2-1 in their last tour of Australia in 2013.

O'Driscoll started at outside centre for the first two Tests but was controversially dropped for the series decider.

The Lions won 41-16 in Sydney as coach Warren Gatland went all in on red.

Gatland picked Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies in the centres and 10 of the starting XV were from Wales.

"I'm ultimately disappointed of not being involved, but relieved that we did win the series, of course," O'Driscoll said.

"But the reality is, if you don't put the kit on, you don't feel the same sense of the victory, and that's the reality of it. But I would be more relieved to have sat in the stand and for us to have won the series, than for me to have been in the team and not won the series, put it that way. That's obviously a no brainer.

"And it is what it is, you don't control your own destiny, you know, exiting the game or exiting certain teams. You're at the behest of other coaches and other decision makers, and that's just the reality of it.

"But, yeah, I certainly aren't a grudge holder. I think initially, you know, you're wounded, and it's hard not to take it personally, but you get over it, like all things."

The bookmakers still rate the Lions warm $1.45 favourites to win the series but the Wallabies are now given a genuine shot at $2.50.

Victories over England and Wales last year - as well as giving Ireland a scare - had convinced O'Driscoll the series could be another epic.

"Very, very dangerous. I'm long enough at it to realise that, particularly with Joe there, also a very proud nation, Australia," the 46-year-old said.

"Really proud nation, and there's no rolling over. Even when they're not at their best, they can still always turn it on, can deliver a big performance.

"We saw definitely enough really good stuff in the Autumn Nation Series. I still think it would make for a brilliant tour if Aussie won the first Test and put it to the Lions. That would be the ultimate, because you'd really have to go and earn it.

"But I think it'll be competitive. I absolutely do. I don't think there'll be any foregone conclusion stuff. Not at all. Not with Joe at the helm, not with the quality of some of the players in that Aussie team.

"You know that they'll deliver it on the big stage, the big performance when it's needed. It's just the Aussie way."

Sam Worthington travelled to the Hong Kong Sevens thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cathay Pacific and The Langham