'Intimidating but personable' O'Connell takes next coaching step
Paul O'Connell has always been strikingly honest about his coaching career. As a player, he was revered and feared, his iconic 'manic aggression' speech in the bowels of Croke Park ensured the latter. Over the past eight years, the former lock has been coaching at various levels after his injury-enforced retirement in February 2016. But despite a distinguished playing career that yielded three Six Nations titles with Ireland and three British and Irish Lions tours, he has carefully progressed his coaching education, which arrives at an important juncture this summer as he leads Ireland into Tests against Georgia and Portugal. After roles with the Munster academy and Ireland under-20s, O'Connell spent a year at Top 14 club Stade Francais as Heyneke Meyer's forwards coach. He found the going tough, later saying it was "too full-on for me". But when Ireland head coach Andy Farrell came calling before the 2021 Six Nations, he considered the chance to work with Ireland's current pack too good to turn down. Naturally, when other opportunities have arisen, his name has been put forward with haste. A Munster icon, he won two European Cups and three league titles during his 14 years in the red jersey. But when Johann van Graan announced he would vacate his role as Munster head coach for Bath at the end of the 2021-22 season, O'Connell admitted he "wouldn't be qualified to do it".Again, when Graham Rowntree left the province last year, O'Connell said he had "no interest" in replacing the Englishman.
The 45-year-old is also a Lions great. Three tours, 2009 tour captain, seven Tests, his CV is admirable, so admitting last year that he did not feel ready to assist Farrell would not have been easy. Compare O'Connell's perspective to that of his contemporaries. Ronan O'Gara, his long-time Munster and Ireland team-mate, took the La Rochelle job in 2019, six years into his coaching career. With two European Cups tucked away, it has worked out well for the former fly-half, who has also boldly outlined his desire to break into Test coaching.Johnny Sexton, another former Irish fly-half of unchallenged stature, has enjoyed a swifter move through the ranks. After less than a year coaching Ireland on a part-time basis, he accepted Farrell's invitation to join the Lions tour as a kicking coach. With Simon Easterby, who was interim Ireland boss during this year's Six Nations, also assisting Farrell in Australia, the time has come for 'Paulie' to lead national team matters.
'A natural leader'
As forwards coach, O'Connell may often have had his head buried in his laptop, poring over plans for the Irish line-out and maul in forensic detail. Over the next couple of weeks, however, his remit is extended to all 33 players in his squad. The Limerick native will not be immune to nerves, but he can at least feel uplifted by the shining endorsements he's received from coaches and players in the build-up to Saturday's Test against Georgia in Tbilisi. "Paul's a natural leader, he's a brilliant leader," said his former Munster team-mate Denis Leamy, who has been drafted in from the province as O'Connell's defence coach."His presence alone is a great starting point. Look, he understands the game inside out, he has great knowledge and his way of imparting that knowledge with the players is hugely impressive."O'Connell's standing among the other coaches is clear. As for the players, Stuart McCloskey - the only member of Ireland's squad to have played with or against O'Connell - believes the former second row has absorbed valuable skills from working closely with Farrell. "Intimidating as a player, as a coach he has that intimidation factor, but I think he's very personable," said the Ulster centre. "He lets the young guys come out of their shell, a bit like what Faz is like. He's watched Faz over the past three, four years and learned a lot from that."
With 13 uncapped players and just one - McCloskey - in his thirties, O'Connell's squad is inexperienced, so he has consciously avoided information overloads in training. "I think short, sharp meetings are probably the best because there's probably fewer messages and you can take them all in, write down a few notes and he'll only say the main messages," observed Leinster centre Jamie Osborne. "And if there's a couple of main messages that focus going in for a match, you know, your mind is pretty clear, you know exactly what you're focusing on and it's easier to bring that in."When Easterby stepped up to temporarily fill Farrell's shoes, he was charged with leading Ireland to a third successive Six Nations title. O'Connell's task may not carry such championship-level intensity, but he has still shrewdly downplayed expectations this week. "We've had three very fast sessions where we've put them under a little bit of pressure and they've enjoyed that, but it hasn't been perfect, and I don't expect it to be perfect on Saturday," he warned. Perfection may be unattainable, but O'Connell can add another proud achievement in a rugby career full of them by leading a youthful Ireland to victory in his first run-out as head coach.
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