THERE YOU HAVE it. Paul O’Connell – the man, the legend, the force of nature – will call time on his international career once Ireland run out of World Cup fixtures to play this autumn.
The lock’s career was a wall-to-wall display of exemplary commitment to his team and his craft on and off the field. However, if his Player of the Tournament award after this year’s Six Nations win is not enough evidence of how much Ireland will miss his presence, here’s a few more things we’ll miss when he starts togging out alongside Steffon Armitage, Leigh Halfpenny and Matt Giteau.
He always sets the tone, like this try to get us off to a flier on the Six Nations’ most thrilling day
A set-piece without him will take forever to get used to
Anybody would be ready to run through another brick wall after one of these almighty slaps on the back
He never lets his feathers get ruffled
(Well, maybe sometimes) when he does it’s a damn scary sight
He’s getting better with age
POC never knows when he’s down
He always demands more of everyone involved
Even when the rest of us think the job was done quite well.
Nobody more than himself
The 35-year-old delivered this monstrous tackle and drive in the 76th minute of a Test match.
That’s why the team-talks are so damn epic
‘Did you scare anyone?’
In The42′s dreams, his last home Six Nations fixture ended with him romping all the way under the posts after this charge-down
He’ll just have to come up with some other incredible typically-leading-by-example way to sign off.
Thanks Paulie. Bon Chance.
Limerick. The people’s team.
How Times and his attitude has changed through the years. I’m reading an unauthorised biography on him at the moment and during his peak years he was a cold person. Guess he understands now that it’s not all about winning at any costs and people are genuine in their appreciation of him. Good to hear this.
@Rory: did a lot of that not have to do with his management company though? In his early years he seemed like a great guy then in mid 2000’s he seemed to become really withdrawn when he signed to some management company.
@Ciaran Rice: agree. I felt he became an overly managed puppet for the mgt company.
A million reasons to visit Limerick.