‘Ireland can kick on from here’

INSPIRATIONAL international lock Paul O’Connell believes Saturday’s dramatic Grand Slam success can prove the launch pad for further Irish rugby glory. Twenty nine-year-old O’Connell turned in an awesome display as Ireland claimed a first Grand Slam success in 61 years with a nail-biting 17-15 victory over Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
O’Connell said: “I absolutely believe Ireland can kick on from here.
“In the last three games we have not played fabulously well.
“We have just been clever in what we have done. We went about winning games. That is the most important thing.
“It was something we had lost track of before. We can develop here now. I think if you try to play expansive sometimes you can hit a wall.
“In this Six Nations we have relied a lot on our pack.
“I think it is easier to build from there.”
O’Connell paid tribute to the part coach Declan kidney had played in the success of the side.
“Deccie (Declan Kidney) has the Midas touch,” O’Connell enthused.
“We had a lot of meetings. He was trying to get players to say things, to try and get them to come out with different things.
“In fairness, there was a lot of good things said.
“We had a good meeting in Enfield over Christmas. We had Padraig Harrington in that week. He was highly inspirational.
“A good atmosphere was built out of that.
“It was a very important time for that team.”
O’Connell said honesty and humility were two of the defining traits of the current Irish side.
“I think, being Irish, this is a humble team,” O’Connell said.
“A lot of the stuff which went on in the media in the lead up to the game with Warren Gatland, you wouldn’t see an Irish coach doing that.
“You wouldn’t see an Irish person doing that. We are very honest in everything we did.
“That is a big part of our trait.
“That is a big thing with Munster and with Ireland too.”
After a string of outstanding displays O’Connell is a certainty to be included in Ian McGeechan’s 35-man Lions squad for this summer’s tour to South Africa - that squad is set to be named next month.
The Irish squad members rejoin the Munster set-up this week as Tony McGahan’s men step up preparations for Friday night’s away Magners League tie with the Glasgow Warriors (kick-off 7.45pm).
It seems likely that the vast majority of Munster’s contingent in the Grand Slam-winning side will be rested this weekend ahead of Saturday week’s crunch Magners League clash with Leinster at Thomond Park.
Meanwhile there was disappointment for the two remaining Limerick sides in this season’s AIB Cup when Garryowen and Young Munster exited the competition at the semi-final stage.
Garryowen suffered a shock defeat away from home to Second Division Ballynahinch while Young Munster came out second best in their semi-final clash with Cork Constitution at Tom Clifford Park.

Colm Kinsella