An honour he would share with an old friend and foe until the World Cup.
Paul O’Connell is set to bring the curtain down on a Munster career littered with special moments, epic performances and trophy wins.
The Ireland captain has the opportunity to claim his fourth league title when he takes on Glasgow Warriors at Kingspan stadium. If he does, O’Connell will join Brian O’Driscoll as the most successful Irish player of the professional generation.
SportsJOE’s scoring system
- Celtic Cup, Interprovincial Championship, League and Challenge Cup
- Triple Crown
- Heineken Cup, Champions Cup
- Six Nations
- Grand Slam, Lions Series win
Due to their Heineken Cup dominance from 2009-2012 [three wins], Leinster’s Ireland internationals all figure highly.
Any Irish player that was part of the successful Lions tour to Australia, in 2013, gets another boost. Indeed, Johnny Sexton [25] and Rob Kearney [31] rank higher than Munster legend Ronan O’Gara [24].
The only man who’s record stacks up against the Leinster lads is O’Connell.
Ireland’s top 5
1st: Brian O’Driscoll
34 points: 3 Heineken Cups, 4 leagues, 1 Challenge Cup, 1 Six Nations, 1 Grand Slam, 3 Triple Crowns, 1 Lions Series.
2nd: Paul O’Connell
33 points: 2 Heineken Cups, 3 leagues, 1 Celtic Cup, 2 Six Nations, 3 Triple Crowns, 1 Grand Slam, 1 Lions Series.
2nd: Jamie Heaslip
33 points: 3 Heineken Cups, 3 leagues, 1 Challenge Cup, 2 Six Nations, 1 Triple Crown, 1 Grand Slam, 1 Lions Series.
2nd: Gordon D’Arcy
33 points: 3 Heineken Cups, 4 leagues, 1 Challenge Cup, 3 Triple Crowns, 2 Six Nations, 1 Grand Slam.
5th: Rob Kearney*
31 points: 3 Heineken Cups, 3 leagues, 1 Challenge Cup, 2 Six Nations, 1 Grand Slam, 1 Lions Series.
Given the fact that O’Connell looks set to join reigning Top 14 and Champions Cup winners Toulon, this summer, he may soon surpass O’Driscoll’s record and stand alone as Ireland’s most successful pro.
*Although injured for the final, Kearney was awarded a Heineken Cup winners’ medal in 2011.
