Gatland to check up on O’Connell form again

Warren Gatland has put the brakes on the Paul O’Connell Lions bandwagon but will be in Limerick this evening for the Munster and Leinster derby to run the rule over Ireland’s hopefuls for his squad.

O’Connell has made an emphatic return from injury inspiring Munster into the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup with a victory against the odds at Harlequins last Sunday.

His one-man master-class at the Twickenham Stoop saw the veteran lock swiftly installed as 5/4 favourite with many bookmakers not only to travel Down Under this summer with the British and Irish Lions, but do so with the captain’s armband.