Moving swiftly along ... to England

THERE are rare occasions in sport when even the result is dwarfed by the occasion. Croke Park yesterday was one of those special days.

The raw emotion in the stadium when Paul O’Connell led an Irish rugby team onto the field for the first time could only be fully appreciated by those fortunate enough to be there.

The adrenalin rush was seismic and manifested itself in the singing of the National Anthem. Never before has it been heard with such gusto at a rugby international.