Murray Kinsella reports from Edinburgh
A FEW MOMENTS stand out in this writer’s memory of realising that there was something different about Paul O’Connell.
Back in 2007, the second row had already proven himself as a world-class lock and toured with the Lions, even if his three Six Nations titles were yet to come.
It was after a Munster training session on the paddock at the University of Limerick Bowl and the squad was moving upstairs to the pitch-side restaurant to get their recovery underway.
The vast majority of the players went straight to their tables at the rear of the ‘Sports Bar’, but O’Connell took around 20 minutes to make his way from the front door to his seat and a hard-earned plate of grub.
He asked Deirdre behind the counter how the family was and positively listened to the response, shook hands with Paddy and discussed the form of the elderly man’s greyhounds, then posed for a photo with a few wide-eyed supporters.
No airs and graces, no perception of star status; just another man greeting those around him.
O’Connell is as self-effacing an individual as his Ireland head coach, an element of his character that lends itself so well to being one of Irish rugby’s greatest-ever leaders. The respect in which the Limerick man is held abroad speaks volumes, but it’s his teammates who give the greatest insight.
“He’s just an unbelievable leader,” says Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw. “I think the charisma oozes out of him, he’s an unbelievable player, and to be doing what he’s doing at the back end of his career is unreal.
“He’s just an inspirational guy.”
Indeed, it is unreal for O’Connell to have captained Ireland to two Six Nations in the past two seasons, but his own performance levels remain excellent at the age of 35. That’s one of the real keys to his ongoing success: he’s still a bloody good lock forward.
Whatever about his mental edge and understanding of how personalities fit together and function towards ensuring collective success, O’Connell is still a class act in the lineouts, tackle zone, rucks, restarts and ball-carrying domain.
“He wouldn’t be all too serious, he likes to have a bit of banter as well,” says Henshaw of the lighter side of the second row.
“So I like that part of him as well, he’s not too intense, he knows how to switch off, and have good craic with the lads. All in all, he’s just the ultimate leader and the ultimate captain.”
Speaking after Ireland had lifted the Six Nations trophy in Murrayfield yesterday evening, Schmidt referenced the fact that O’Connell had played a typically vital role in the motivational build-up to the clash with Scotland.
A boost was needed following the disappointment of defeat to Wales the weekend before, and O’Connell was the man to deliver.
“The big guy just decided to grab the group by the neck this week and drag them into this game with a fair bit of energy and resolve,” says Schmidt.
Scrum-half Conor Murray takes up the story:
“Tuesday was flat, we had built the Wales game up. It was obviously Paulie’s 100th cap, it was a Grand Slam potential game, and we were very disappointed with the performance.
“We were proud of ourselves the way we came back and attacked that game and nearly got something of a result. Tuesday was a bit of a flat session, but Paulie said his words. He has been through this before.”
O’Connell delivered the speech and then followed with the all-important actions. Carries, tackles, lineout takes, his habitual superb rucking work; yesterday in Edinburgh was vintage O’Connell.
Locks such as Nathan Hines and Simon Shaw have shown in recent years that age is no predictor of a regression in form, and O’Connell is showing few signs of slowing up.
“He’s pushing on alright,” jokes flanker Peter O’Mahony. “He’s an unbelievable guy to sit down next to the dressing room. I am lucky to have spent a lot of my professional career sitting next to him in the dressing room.
[Yesterday] again was another testament to what a big-game player he is and the performances he puts in consistently is what he will be remembered for and an outstanding performance again [yesterday].”
The looming prospect of O’Connell’s retirement is an issue that refuses to go away in the Ireland captain’s post and pre-match press conferences, but he continues to decline to make a final public decision.
O’Connell’s contract extends into the summer of 2016, though Henshaw “can imagine next year he’d be asked to stay on,” while Murray underlines that “we’d definitely like him to stay on.”
No surprises there, but let us allow the big man to make his decision in his own time.
He’s earned that much, and more.
