Paul O’Connell begins French odyssey

Whatever mystery remained over the end of Paul O’Connell’s rugby career evaporated last night as the Munster icon and Ireland captain signed a one-year deal with three-time European champions Toulon.

The move has been touted for some time and after the IRFU confirmed two weeks ago that he would be released a year early from his provincial contract to, in O’Connell’s own words, “experience new environments” the writing was on the wall.

Yesterday the 35-year-old agreed to a one-year deal with an option of a second after the day began with Midi Olympique speculating that an old shoulder injury could scupper the move and, at the very least, delay any confirmation until after a post-World Cup medical.

It is an ideal move for O’Connell who has posted some of the best form of his career last season as he picked up the Six Nations player of the tournament award while his fellow professionals voted him in as the IRUPA players’ player of the season.

In joining Toulon the Limerick man, who made 178 appearances for Munster, will enter a dressing room that has developed an ‘uber culture’ which has seen the club from the Cote d’Azur scale Europe for three seasons in succession.

Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has made his name in rugby by throwing the most money at the game’s most feted players since his takeover nearly a decade ago and initially this created the perception that the Stade Mayol was the ultimate haven for mercenaries.

However, the arrival of Jonny Wilkinson in 2009 showed that behind the serious finances lay a serious ambition and alongside World Cup winners such as Bakkies Botha and Danie Roussouw the club won their first European title in 2013.

The Toulon dressing room contains some of the best talent from Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, England and even France so O’Connell will have a wealth of talent surrounding him.

The money on offer is hard to turn down as well with some sources reckoning O’Connell will take home around €600,000 for his year’s work. There are a few clubs in France who could afford to pay O’Connell a hefty sum, but Toulon’s obsession with winning is a perfect match for a man who is relentless when it comes to chasing success.