U20 Six Nations: O’Sullivan: Paul O’Connell and Noel McNamara told us to believe

The entertainment from Bordeaux’s Stade Chaban-Delmas wasn’t restricted to events on the pitch last Friday.

Large tracts of the Ireland U20s’ 34-24 loss to their French counterparts were soundtracked by Paul O’Connell, whose unmistakeable voice was picked up by the TV mics as he took in the eight-try Six Nations opener from the coaches’ box.

It was as educational as much as it was fun. A rare window into the emotions and thought processes of those charged with preparing teams at that level, and into the mind of a man whose every move in the dugout was already being followed closely.