No fairytale ending for Paul O'Connell as Toulon left reeling

Shock was the overriding emotion on the Cote d’Azur as Paul O’Connell announced his immediate retirement from the sport he has graced so magnificently over the last 14 years.

The Munster man was Toulon’s marquee signing last summer in the pack, one of the so-called ‘Fantastic Four’ recruited by club president Mourad Boudjellal, along with American Samu Manoa, New Zealander Ma’a Nonu, and Duane Vermeulen of South Africa.

La Provence, the main Mediterranean newspaper, described the news of O’Connell’s retirement as “an immense blow”, while Var Martin, Toulon’s local paper, called the announcement “incredible”.