Paul O’Connell always puts team-mates first, says Munster boss Anthony Foley

Anthony Foley believes Paul O’Connell’s selfless nature will be the key factor in the Ireland captain’s decision on his rugby-playing future.

Few have seen O’Connell’s rugby career unfold in clearer detail than the Munster head coach, who was in the back row as the young lock made his senior debut for the province in August 2001, and again in green five months later, against Wales. Foley is as impressed now as he was then by O’Connell’s contribution to the Ireland effort, and as the iconic second row stands poised to win his 100th cap, he believes the national team captain’s decision on whether to play on beyond this autumn’s World Cup will rest on his former team-mate’s belief in his ability to remain an asset to his comrades.

“I remember being involved with Ireland (as temporary forwards coach in Gert Smal’s absence) against France in 2013 when we drew 13-all in Paris, and he played most of the second half with a damaged knee but you wouldn’t have thought it,” Foley told the Irish Examiner. “He put himself out for others and it epitomises him. It will be hard to fill those shoes and hopefully that won’t be for another few years. Ultimately his body will dictate what he does next. He’s contracted up until the end of next season but you’ve got a respect a player like that who’s done it for others. So if he feels his body isn’t up to it and because of what I said about him always putting himself before others, if he feels he can’t put himself out there for his team-mates, he’ll go down that route. But if he feels he can, he’ll stay on, I’d imagine.”