Paul O'Connell: Provinces and players will reap benefits of Emerging tour

O’Connell, part of an Ireland coaching group led by Simon Easterby, believes the experience in South Africa will stand to the players on their returns to provincial action

REAPING REWARDS: Paul O'Connell attending the Preliminary Tour of the Limerick's International Rugby Museum. Pic: Brendan Gleeson

Paul O’Connell has hailed the Emerging Ireland tour as a great success and backed the players to energise their provinces on their return to action this weekend and beyond.

Ireland’s forwards coach was hugely impressed by his first experience of working with a new group of players, 11 from Leinster, nine apiece from Munster and Ulster and five from Connacht, praising their ability to absorb their new environment in a short time together and hit the ground running with three wins from three against South African Currie Cup sides in a nine-day window.