Paul O’Connell’s World Cup record unjust

Even in his worst nightmare, Paul O’Connell could never have envisaged it ending like this – not in, of all places, Cardiff, Irish rugby’s home from home, writes Peter Jackson.

He had been there in the glory days and nights for Munster and Ireland and never left the place empty-handed - the 2006 European Cup victory over Biarritz under Anthony Foley’s captaincy and again two years later under his own leadership against Toulouse.

Twelve months on and O’Connell was back in Cardiff putting the finishing touches to the first Irish Grand Slam for more than six decades. He’d won about three times as many international trophies at the Millennium Stadium than at home and the one last World Cup promised so much more. His previous three having all ended embarrassingly early, here was one last shot at redemption from one final mission for his country. Ireland, the serial under- achievers on the global stage, would be going to where they had never gone before.