Not many Irish players can boast a similar winning record over England
Paul O’Connell will line up against England, this weekend, for the 12th time in his Test career. The Ireland captain first played England in 2003 and got off to a losing start. It would not happen again for five years.
Ahead of Round 12 with the Auld Enemy, English players and pundits have been paying tribute to the Munster man. George Ford, Mike Brown and George Kruis have praised his leadership, Graham Rowntree called him a ‘a constant driving force in the Ireland team’.
The Times ran a weekend headline declaring: Authority makes Paul O’Connell a green giant.
Ahead of his latest throw-down with the English, here is how O’Connell fared in rounds one to 11.
2003 (Lost: 42-6)
Martin Johnson and his English teammates shunted Ireland off their red carpet and Jonny Wilkinson did the rest. England won the Grand Slam in controversial style.
2004 (Won: 19-13)
The world champions were beaten on their home patch as Girvan Dempsey and Ronan O’Gara did the scoring damage.
2005 (Won 19-13)
A double dose of reality for an England team lost without Wilkinson’s ever reliable kicks and drop goals. Brian O’Driscoll ran in a try and O’Gara contributed 14 from the kicking tee.
2006 (Won: 28-24)
Shane Horgan won the match with three minutes and three millimetres to spare as he stretched over for a try in the right-hand corner.
2007 (Won: 43-13)
A thrashing at Croke Park. God Save the Queen played out to an eerie silence, Horgan scoring off a O’Gara crossfield kick and Isaac Boss with the exclamation point try.
2008 (Lost: 33-10)
Danny Cirpiani kicked 18 points and three tries, from Jamie Noon, Matthew Tait and Paul Sackey sealed a comfortable win.
2009 (Won 14-13)
The scoreline suggests a tight match but Ireland had the upper hand for 70 minutes before a late English surge caused wobbles. O’Driscoll scored a fantastic pick and dive try from close range.
2010 (Won: 20-16)
Back to winning ways in Twickenham thanks, in large part, to a brace of Tommy Bowe tries. Accidentally clattered O’Driscoll with a knee to the head.
2011 (Won: 24-8)
England arrived in Dublin seeking the win that would deliver a Grand Slam. They still left as champions but defeated, shell-shocked captains.
2011 (Lost: 20-9)
The final World Cup warm-up match went badly wrong as Manu Tuilagi ran amok and O’Connell lost two Munster and Ireland teammates, Felix Jones and David Wallace, to bad injuries.
2014 (Lost: 13-10)
Outshone my Courtney Lawes in the second row and unable to inspire his team to a late comeback.
