ULSTER’S DIRECTOR OF Rugby Les Kiss has paid an emotional, and personal, tribute to Paul O’Connell after the former Ireland captain called time on an illustrious playing career earlier.
There are few people within Irish rugby in a better position to comment on O’Connell’s influence than Kiss and Joe Schmidt’s erstwhile lieutenant heaped praise on the second-row.
As Ireland defence coach for six years, Kiss worked closely with O’Connell and witnessed the impact he had in the dressing room first hand.
“That’s obviously a sad day really for rugby,” Kiss said at today’s press conference in Belfast. “Although he wasn’t in the Irish system anymore, everybody had a huge interest in seeing how he would go over there [France].
“Personally he’s probably, if not the greatest, he’s close enough to the greatest I’ve ever worked with.
“He’s an icon, a man of great substance and when he spoke, he was imposing and compelling and when he stood in a room or a dressing room with the players around him, he was a force of nature and a man that could gel and bring energy to a group of people and could make things happen.
O’Connell was forced to announce his retirement on medical grounds after he failed to recover from the hamstring injury he sustained during last year’s World Cup.
The 36-year-old was denied the opportunity to ply his trade in France with Toulon and Kiss feels for O’Connell, who would have relished the challenge of a different environment.
“A great loss to rugby, I know he was pretty sad at the time of the injury because it would compromise his chances of going over there and experiencing a change of lifestyle and a different style of rugby and the chance to bring his family over there for a new experience.
“So I really feel for him that he’s had to call it quits early but one thing he wasn’t, he was never a quitter and I’m sure if he could have beaten it he would but I know from the medical advice he had to move that way so maybe their loss will be Munster’s gain.
“I will probably guess he will be involved in some way there.”
Kiss’ praise continued, as he described O’Connell as one of the greats of the game and a player, and a man, who deserves every accolade and good word said about him.
“I know he would have loved that experience. In the end it wasn’t to be. The superlatives will be flying and they should be. It’s the end of the road on the playing pitch for a great man but you know he’ll forge something greater afterwards in a number of ways and first and foremost he’ll continue in developing the beautiful family he’s got.
“He’s going to be to Munster’s advantage, no doubt about that. You’d probably pay him just to be a kitman, just to have him around the place.
“I wish him well and it was a privilege. I learned so much from coaching him.”
