We all pictured it differently.
Paul O’Connell should have ended his Ireland career with the most victorious of victory laps, with little Paddy in arms, waving at the thousands of Irish fans who had travelled across to see the living legend.
But rugby’s tough.
We’ve so often see heroes bow out on their shield when injury strikes and it’s happened again with perhaps our greatest sporting leader.
Scans confirmed early today that O’Connell had played his last game in the green of Ireland as the hamstring tear he suffered in Sunday’s victory over France would require surgery.
And his predecessor as Ireland skipper, Brian O’Driscoll, perfectly summed up how we’re all feeling at the loss of our talisman, our chief, our captain.
This is so wrong on many levels. One of the greatest leaders & players of them all. Inspirational. https://t.co/8blR5e2tJp
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) October 13, 2015
