Let's not panic, says O'Connell

Ireland second row Paul O’Connell claims no radical surgery is required in the wake of his side’s RBS 6 Nations failure.

A first Grand Slam since 1948 beckoned until their championship was shoved off track by France, with Saturday’s defeat in Cardiff leaving Ireland with their lowest tournament finish for three years.

With veterans such as Reggie Corrigan, Shane Byrne and Anthony Foley the wrong side of 30, doubts linger over their future – and not least because of the team’s dismal no-show at the Millennium Stadium.

But while O’Connell admitted Ireland have regressed since their glorious clean sweep in the November internationals, he dismissed suggestions that changes will be made.

“Losing to Wales was a massive disappointment. We’ve gone backwards in this championship. I thought we were ready to take the next step and push on but obviously we weren’t,” said the Munster lock.

“Now we must stand back, take a look at ourselves and try to go forward again. I don’t think there will be a rebuilding period. No-one has talked about retiring. It will be a gradual thing if players are replaced.”

Ireland were crushed in Cardiff, and it was only their late rally – which produced tries for Marcus Horan and Geordan Murphy – that gave the 32-20 scoreline some respectability.

They fashioned a glorious chance early in the first half, but winger Girvan Dempsey did not have the gas to finish, while Foley also went close - opportunities that O’Connell felt could have changed the result had they been taken.

But the 25-year-old Lions Test prospect admitted Wales were worthy winners and hailed a performance which ended a 27-year wait for Grand Slam glory.

“Wales played very well and were the better team on the day. Their pack is a good unit – athletic, tidy and good at off-loads. We did okay in parts but didn’t control the game properly,” he said.

“Little mistakes kept letting them off the hook. We were playing quite well in the first half. Maybe if Girvan or ‘Axel’ (Foley) had gone over in the corner it would have been a different game.”

Ireland flanker and Llanelli skipper Simon Easterby joined O’Connell in saluting the Welsh revival and applauded the expansive gameplan they used to complete the clean sweep.

He said: “We went to Cardiff to win the game. We were defending a Triple Crown and the championship was still up for grabs. But we were outplayed by the better side.

“They have shown greater skill and played the best football throughout the Six Nations. They’ve been in some tight games as well and have come through them.

“We didn’t play to our potential and Wales have, surpassing people’s expectations. They deserve their Grand Slam.”