O’Connell: We must bring same attitude to Six Nations

Ireland captain Paul O’Connell has called on his players not to forget their performance against New Zealand between now and February’s 2014 RBS 6 Nations championship.

As the Irish players concluded their four-week national camp at Carton House last night following their heartbreaking, last-kick defeat to world champions New Zealand, the focus immediately returned to their provinces as the countdown to the next two rounds of Heineken Cup pool games in mid-December starts ticking.

Yet, having torn into the final Test of the Guinness Series at Aviva Stadium yesterday with the intensity and accuracy that unsettled the All Blacks and gave Ireland a 19-0 lead and took them to within seconds of a famous first victory, O’Connell spoke of the need to recapture that attitude and approach when the squad reconvenes ahead of the Six Nations and an opening game at home to Scotland on February 2.