The flame-haired Munster second row, who used to bunk over the wall to watch the Irish province in action, is the key man in the Ireland pack.

A superb operator in the line-out, the Limerick-born lock also makes his presence felt all around the park.

O'Connell lacks some of the physical size of a number of his rivals but he has superb stamina and his mental strength means he can impose himself on rivals by sheer force of will.