O’Connell: I may step down

Paul O’Connell appears set to step down as Munster captain as the province begins a new era under head coach Rob Penney.

Both the veteran Ireland and Lions lock and the incoming New Zealander dropped broad hints yesterday that the 32-year-old will relinquish the role he has held for six years, during which he led Munster to its second Heineken Cup win in 2008. Former All Black wing Doug Howlett, who will skipper the province for a third time this pre-season when London Irish visit Musgrave Park on Friday night, looks most likely to succeed O’Connell on a permanent basis, with an announcement expected by the end of the week.

O’Connell and Penney were in Glasgow yesterday for the launch of the 2012-13 RaboDirect Pro12, which gets under way for Munster on September 1 at Edinburgh.