Ireland can overcome O’Connell loss: Stringer

MAKE no mistake about it, even though his replacement, Mick O’Driscoll, is a hell of a player, the loss of Paul O’Connell to the Irish second-row against Italy on Saturday is colossal.

Along with team captain Brian O’Driscoll and out-half Ronan O’Gara, O’Connell is the most instantly recognised of the current high-flying Irish side and widely acknowledged as the best in his position. Few have a better view of O’Connell’s all-round effectiveness than scrum-half Peter Stringer.

And fewer have a better appreciation of his value.