This Is The One Player Paul O'Connell Fears Most – He Had No Doubts About His Answer!

Tuesday, 08 April 2025 at 11:07

byRugby Rucker

Paul O'Connell, a towering figure in the world of rugby, hails from Ireland and has left an indelible mark on the sport through his exceptional career with Ireland, Munster, and the British and Irish Lions.

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Internationally, O'Connell earned 108 caps for Ireland, donning the green jersey with pride and passion. His leadership qualities were particularly evident during his captaincy, where he guided Ireland to historic victories in the Six Nations, including the Grand Slam triumph in 2009.

O'Connell's commitment to excellence and his ability to inspire those around him solidified his status as one of Ireland's greatest rugby ambassadors.

The pinnacle of Paul O'Connell's illustrious career was undoubtedly his involvement with the British and Irish Lions. He participated in four Lions tours, earning iconic status as a fearless and tenacious leader. The 2009 Lions tour to South Africa saw him captain the team, showcasing his resilience and determination even in the face of formidable opposition.

Now retired from professional rugby, O'Connell has taken on coaching roles, imparting his wealth of knowledge and experience to the next generation of players.

In a recent interview, he shared his reflections on his remarkable career by ranking his five toughest opponents, providing a fascinating glimpse into the challenges and triumphs that defined his extraordinary journey in the world of rugby.

#1. Victor Matfield

Position: Lock

Country: South Africa

Caps: 127

This ultra-athletic second row player was known for his love of running with the ball in midfield and was dubbed the best centre in South Africa.

Additionally, he was a supreme technician in the lineout. He was even awarded Man of the Match in the 2007 World Cup final.

O'Connell said: "I tried not to fear any opponent, but any international second-row will tell you that Matfield had the ability to destroy your lineout. He's the best lineout operator I played against. He very rarely made any mistakes."

#2. Jonny Wilkinson

Position: Fly-half

Country: England

Caps: 91

He has been a significant match-winner of his time, and one of rugby's all-time greatest point-scorers. With 1,246 points earned in his 97 caps for England and the Lions, only Dan Carter has scored more in Test rugby.

However, his most notable achievement occurred in 2003 when he secured the World Cup victory for his team by slotting in a drop goal.

What is more impressive is that he kicked it with his weaker right foot, indicating the countless hours he had dedicated to practice. He retired on a high note, adding two more trophies to his collection with Toulon.

O'Connell said: "I played against him when he was with Toulon at the end of my career, and his ability to punish you with drop-goals, with his penalties, with his territory kicking game, it was so hard to get a foothold in his game.

"He could beat better teams almost on his own."

#3. Martin Johnson

Position: Lock

Country: England

Caps: 83

He was a true leader who led by example and was the type of person you'd want by your side in difficult situations. He never asked anyone to do something that he wouldn't do himself.

Like Sam Warburton, he captained the Lions twice, including the victorious 1997 tour of South Africa. He will forever be remembered as the man who received the 2003 World Cup, which England won in Sydney.

O'Connell said: "He had a presence. He was a fabulous player, absolutely someone to be admired."

#4. Jerry Collins

Position: Flanker

Country: New Zealand

Caps: 48

O'Connell said: "He'd just destroy people!"

#5. Bakkies Botha

Position: Lock

Country: South Africa

Caps: 85

This man was a force to be reckoned with as the second row enforcer for South Africa's 2007 World Cup winning team. He went on to cap off his career by securing three European Cup victories with Toulon.

DID YOU KNOW? Botha is regularly listed in 'greatest ever' sides, and coach Bernard Laporte said he was the greatest player he ever coached

EDITORS PICKS:

– and his picks are bound to raise a few eyebrows.

Dan Biggar names bold Lions XV – with big England omissions

Wales legend Dan Biggar has officially called time on his playing career, but not before dropping a blockbuster British & Irish Lions XV on The Rugby Pod

The 112-cap fly-half, who steered Wales through some of their finest Six Nations and World Cup moments, appeared on Jim Hamilton’s podcast this week and revealed his Lions dream team. Spoiler alert: there's no room for the likes of Owen Farrell, Johnny Sexton, or even himself.

Here’s how Biggar’s team shaped up…

Front-row firepower: Porter, Sheehan & Furlong

1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong

It’s an all-Irish affair in the front row, with Biggar backing Leinster's dominant trio to boss the scrum. Furlong remains the Rolls-Royce of tightheads, while Sheehan and Porter provide dynamism in the loose.

Big boys in the boiler room: Itoje & Beirne

4. Maro Itoje
5. Tadhg Beirne

England’s Maro Itoje gets the nod despite some inconsistent recent form, with Biggar clearly still valuing his disruptive brilliance. He’s paired with the ever-reliable Beirne – a turnover machine and Lions Test starter in 2021.

Breakdown beasts: Curry, Van Der Flier & Doris (c)

6. Tom Curry
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)

This back row is pure chaos – in the best possible way. England’s Tom Curry returns to the fray, Ireland’s Van der Flier adds World Player of the Year pedigree, and Doris, who’s fast becoming a modern-day great, takes the armband. A fearless choice.

Livewire half-backs: Gibson-Park & Russell

9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Finn Russell

Gone are the days of conservative Lions 9-10 combos. Biggar’s gone full jazz here. Gibson-Park brings the zip, and Russell… well, Russell brings the flair. The Scotland maestro’s creativity earns him the No.10 jersey over Biggar himself – no ego here.

Fire on the flanks: Lowe & Kinghorn

11. James Lowe
14. Blair Kinghorn

Two versatile Scots fill the wing slots, with Kinghorn’s blend of size and speed complementing Lowe’s relentless work rate and booming left boot. Biggar clearly values adaptability out wide – and a bit of flair never hurts.

Caledonian connection in midfield: Tuipulotu & Jones

12. Sione Tuipulotu
13. Huw Jones

The Glasgow Warriors pairing have formed one of the deadliest centre combos in rugby, and Biggar’s kept them together. It’s a bold call, but one based on form and synergy rather than reputation alone.

Rock-solid fullback: Hugo Keenan

15. Hugo Keenan

No surprise here – Keenan has been Ireland’s Mr Consistent, and Biggar trusts him to be the safety net at the back. His positioning, aerial ability and counter-attacks make him a nailed-on pick.

The bench: a mix of muscle and mischief

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Zander Fagerson, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith

It’s a stacked bench with serious impact. Genge and Fagerson bring brute force, while Earl and Morgan cover the back row with pace and punch. Marcus Smith adds some stardust, and Mitchell offers serious tempo at scrum-half.

TOUGH QUIZ: Can you name EVERY British & Irish Lions captain of the past 50 Years?

We’ve got a belter of a quiz in store, as we challenge you to name EVERY British & Irish Lions tour captain of the past 50 years. We start off our quiz back on the 1974 tour of South Africa, and bring it all the way up to the Lions’ latest tour to the land of the Springboks in 2021.

To make this a little bit more difficult, some of the more recent tours included multiple captains, with both needed to be named if you want to ace this Lions Tour quiz. You have six minutes to get all of your answers down, and your time starts... Now!