Ronan O'Gara believes Toulon will persuade Paul O'Connell to go to France

His former Ireland and Munster team-mate believes Toulon will be anxious not to miss out on O'Connell's leadership skills.

"I think Paulie might still end up coaching in the south of France next year," writes O'Gara in his Irish Examiner Friday column.

"Toulon have a lot of persuading to do. But if they want a forwards coach, or a man who can offer so much on the training pitch or in the dressing room, it’s Paul O’Connell."

"He has run the Munster and Irish lineout for 15 years. He’s run 80% of team meetings for 15 years. So it’s a very simple progression. He’s not expected to command the position of a head coach if he is initially going to do lineout work.

"If he eventually goes down the forwards coach route, he’ll have some research to do on lines of running, the breakdown etc. But forward play, and leading - that’s his bread and butter. And this guy is different gravy. The language isn’t an issue there, because everyone in Toulon speaks English."

If O'Connell does wind up in France, O'Gara believes it may be until next season.

"He is going to take time out and reflect now. He’s not short of options. He could be tempted to do something in the business world, perhaps with his good friend, JP McManus.

"Going to Toulon in a coaching capacity would only really work from 2016/17, anyway. There’s only four or five months left in this campaign and he’d be doing himself no favours walking into a camp with 60-70% of the season done.

"There’s a different mentality in pre-season, and it’s the best opportunity to establish relationships with players, and laying down the principles you believe in."