Judging an autobiography its cover, Paul O’Connell’s is going to be bloody epic

We predict it The Battle will out-do The Test and every other Irish rugby book published in the last decade.

We never got to give Paul O’Connell the huge send-off his Munster, Ireland and Lions career deserved.

The legendary lock had his career cut short by a particularly nasty hamstring injury, at last autumn’s World Cup, and, try as he might, could not get back to full fitness for Toulon. He retired without ever having played for the French giants.

Now that the boots have been hung up, O’Connell’s autobiography has been finalised and will be out in the next month.

55 reasons why Paul O'Connell is Ireland's greatest living human being http://t.co/vd5jyEL85A #ThanksPaulie pic.twitter.com/wGBJOHS5dn

— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 13, 2015

The autobiography has been ghost-written by Alan English, who took over Brian O’Driscoll’s ‘The Test’ after Paul Kimmage stepped away from the project.

We have yet to get a glimpse of the final text but industry insiders have informed us that O’Connell is not taking a step back with some of his opinions.

We are well aware of the hoary old phrase about not judging books by their covers but how can this [below] not be a cracking read.

Look at that Fear of God stare on Paulie.  How could you not pick up this book?

The Battle is due on book shelves in early June.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10