News about Paul O'Connell

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: A defining season looms for Maro Itoje, who has the chance to resurrect his surge towards true greatness at Test level - as the front-runner to become Lions captain. Next month, the England lock turns 30 and he will do so having been installed as skipper at his club, Saracens. That shrewdly-timed appointment allows Itoje the perfect opportunity to showcase his credentials for a coveted and revered role next summer. Mighty men of the second row are often appointed to lead the Lions, with Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell and Martin Johnson becoming the towering talismen of the pro era, to follow in the giant footsteps of others such as Bill Beaumont and the legendary Ulsterman, Willie John McBride. These are the icons who Itoje must try to live up to and emulate.

This player may have been a regular member of Steve Borthwick's England squad in 2024, but almost 20 years ago, he may have been preparing for Ireland ahead of the team's Six Nations match on Saturday. The heavily decorated player had split loyalties for a while, until a youth rugby team treated him properly. Here, the player weighs in on the highly awaited Twickenham tussle. Can you guess who it might be?

After running for more than 50 years, BBC bosses axed A Question of Sport on Friday night. One fan was on X, or more commonly known as Twitter, where they became nostalgic as they posted a short video from the long-running show. After 53 years, the user wrote: "A Question of Sport" has been postponed. We'll all remember this moment, when Paul O'Connell gave one of the best answers in quiz show history. So far.'

Ireland is entering a pivotal Pool B match on a 15-game winning streak, including beating the All Blacks on enemy territory and a win over the Springboks in Dublin. Andy Farrell's guys are considered marginal underdogs against the Springboks, but O'Connell has backed the team to win another game in a dramatic manner. 'It's going to be a good show,' the former Ireland captain said. South Africa faces both a physical challenge and a unique technological challenge.'

SHANE McGRATH: South Africa were key influences in shaping Paul O'Connell's career. The year 2009, in particular, was pivotal. It brought the legendary lock up against the Springboks for the fourth time. On Saturday, November 28th, it was a night of freezing rain in Croke Park. And it was second only to the England game in 2007 as rugby's best 80 minutes in the home of the GAA. Ireland defeated Ireland 15-10 thanks to five points from Johnny Sexton; he was winning his second cap for his country. However, O'Connell's preparations made the game very popular. Later, it was discovered that Gert Smal, Ireland's forwards' coach at the time, had asked him to count to ten in Afrikaans. This enabled him to decode the opposition line-out calls, resulting in the best set-piece in the world, led by mighty Victor Matfield and captain John Smit, who fell apart.