Fit again O’Connell is Eddie's man

PAUL O’CONNELL’S selection on the replacement bench for Sunday’s Grand Slam decider is testimony to the high esteem in which he is held by Eddie O’Sullivan.

The Irish coach admits that having to tell Leo Cullen he was out of the squad entirely represented "one of the most difficult discussions of my life." Nor did he feel good when informing Donncha O'Callaghan, who made a big impression when coming on as a sub in Cardiff, he would instead be involved with the A side this week.

However, it is clear that O'Connell was always O'Sullivan's ideal partner for Malcolm O'Kelly once all things were equal. Which, for most of this season, they were not. O'Connell is a giant of a man, 6' 6" tall, 17 stone plus in weight, invariably fit as a fiddle but with an unfortunate propensity for picking up injuries at the wrong time.