Regarded as one of the best second rows in the world the Limerick man is a galvanising force in the Munster and Irish pack, a world class lineout jumper and a forward of immense power. Since his debut he has been virtually ever-present in the Ireland team and scored the last ever Test try at the old Lansdowne Road against the Pacific Islanders in 2006. 

Educated at Ard Scoil Ris he played on the same Ireland Schools side as Gordon D’Arcy and played in five consecutive games for the Irish Under-21s with Donncha O’Callaghan as his second row partner. 

O’Connell scored a try on his Ireland debut against Wales in February 2002 and became a permanent fixture in the Irish side the following year, starting all five games at the 2003 World Cup in Australia. In 2005 he became a Lions and played in all three Test matches in New Zealand. 

He captained his country against France in 2004, Scotland in 2005 and France in 2007, and he is currently Munster skipper. He was a pivotal figure in both Munster’s Heineken Cup successes and was nominated for the IRB World Player of the Year award in 2006. He featured in every game in the 2007 RWC but injury limited him to only three games in the 2008 RBS 6 Nations. In 2009 he was back to his best as part of the Irish Grand Slam side.

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