When Paul O’Connell was part of Ireland’s 2014 Six Nations triumph, and indeed was captain when that title was retained the following year, he can hardly have imagined that 11 years later he’d be paying tribute to three of his then team-mates, each of whom is seeking a sixth championship over the next fortnight.
Along with Cian Healy, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray, all of whom have confirmed their retirement from Test rugby after the current Six Nations, O’Connell was an integral part of that 2014 success. All four of them started on the dramatic final day in the Stade de France when a 22-20 win sealed Ireland’s first championship since the Grand Slam of 2009.
Healy, O’Mahony and Murray have accumulated a whopping 371 caps between them for Ireland and have each been part of five championship title wins, including two Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023, thus making them the most decorated Irish players of all time.
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Yet O’Connell maintained that marking the trio’s careers will not fuel the team’s emotions against France.
“The boys don’t rely on emotion, massively. It’s the icing on the cake rather than the whole cake these days. I don’t think we’ll be using it for emotion or to help us win the game, it’s more about marking their contribution.
“It hasn’t always been easy for them. They’ve had to keep coming back and keep fighting for their place.
“They’ve had to work really hard and it’s more about marking their contribution rather than using it as any motivation for us. I just don’t think we need it.”
That said, losing such a wealth of experience will invariably leave a void.
“I’m sure there will be days when we struggle a little bit and we won’t know why we’re struggling. It’ll be because of that little bit of experience,” admitted O’Connell.
“Pete is very good at saying the right thing at the right time in the right way. He’s very good at cutting through a lot of the ‘BS’ and getting guys down to work.
“Conor Murray has an amazing temperament and that’s been his strength since he first came in at 21 years of age in 2011. I was only thinking when I was watching him playing a few weeks; his temperament, his attitude hasn’t changed one bit. It’s pretty incredible. He’s pretty unflappable as a player and as a guy.
“Cian is very versatile. He’s had a great mentoring role with the props in recent times. When you lose those guys you probably won’t know what the answer is when something is going wrong.
“It’ll be hard to pinpoint it but into that void, other guys will have to fill the space.”
O’Mahony and Healy have also confirmed that they will see out their seasons with Munster and Leinster before retiring completely, while Murray will also complete the season before playing abroad “another year somewhere” in part as a debt to his wife and son.
“They’ve been incredible; my wife Joanna, my son Alfie, especially Joanna over the last few years and the sacrifices she’s made,” said Murray. “So as a family, to go away and maybe do something for a year and enjoy ourselves for a lifestyle change.
“Body-wise, I still feel great. I still feel I can play rugby at a high level. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I think that would be nice for us to let the dust settle on retiring in this country and go away and have an experience and come back to the real world then.”
The trio’s joint retirement after Ireland’s Six Nations finale in Rome on St Patrick’s weekend ensures there will be an additional layer of occasion and emotion to their final home game against France at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week.
O’Mahony and Murray look sure to be involved, as might be the case with Healy. All took a full part in Ireland’s open training session at the Aviva on Thursday, as did Jack Conan, despite the back issue which caused his departure early in the second half of the 27-18 win away to Wales last Saturday.
Conan started in the absence of the injured captain Caelan Doris (knee), who did some running separately from the squad on Thursday, as did Rónan Kelleher.
“He’s certainly in with a shout of being involved,” said O’Connell of Doris, while they were “pretty confident” regarding Conan’s fitness for the French game. Gavin Coombes was called up to train with the squad as cover.
“No one is ruled out, they are all carrying bumps and bruises but they’re okay,” said the Irish forwards coach, although Tadhg Furlong was with Leinster ahead of rejoining the Irish squad next week, but is unlikely to feature against Cardiff in the Aviva this Saturday.
