Paul O'Connell remains philosophical about World Cup heartache 

O’Connell endured the heartbreaks of four successive quarter-final exits between 2003 and 2015, the latter as a helpless onlooker after a serious injury in the final pool game

PHILOSOPHICAL: Forwards coach Paul O'Connell during an Ireland rugby media conference at Tours Town Hall in Tours, France. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Paul O’Connell left his last World Cup on a stretcher and Ireland’s disappointing exit that followed a week later in 2015 still rankles but he returns to the tournament as a coach confident the 2023 team is better equipped to break his nation’s self-inflicted glass ceiling.

O’Connell, the lock and warrior leader, endured the heartbreaks of four successive quarter-final exits between 2003 and 2015, the latter as a helpless onlooker after serious injury in the final pool game win over France denied him the chance to face Argentina.