O’Connell: We won’t underrate Wales

PAUL O’CONNELL’S memories of his previous outing against the Welsh at Lansdowne Road are bittersweet and a little hazy.

O'Connell, making his international debut two seasons ago, crashed over for a first-half try but then stumbled from the field with concussion. A lot has happened since, at provincial and international level, including his appointment as captain a week ago in the surrounds of the Stade de France.

But with Brian O'Driscoll back in harness, O'Connell is happy to hand over the armband.