PAUL O’CONNELL SAYS he has not put a concrete date on his retirement from rugby, underlining that he doesn’t want to have any “regrets” over the decision.
The 35-year-old is facing into a crucial nine-month period of his career with Ireland set to defend their Six Nations title and the Rugby World Cup to come in September and October.
The Ireland captain says he is simply enjoying his rugby under head coach Joe Schmidt, but accepts that there is a call to be made “fairly soon.”
O’Connell alongside the trophy he hopes to lift in March. Source: James Crombie/INPHO
“No, I haven’t [made a concrete decision] and I probably need to so I can give a decent answer!” said O’Connell at yesterday’s Six Nations launch.
“I’m contracted until the summer of 2016 and I just want to go to the World Cup in as good a condition as I can. I’ll make a decision then.
“There probably isn’t pressure, it’s just about finding the right time and not having regrets. I think it’s a really enjoyable set-up to be part of at the moment and I enjoy the preparation, discipline and the training more than ever.
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O’Connell was in jovial form alongside Schmidt at the plush Hurlingham Club in London’s Ranelagh Gardens yesterday as the 2015 Six Nations was officially launched.
Previewing Ireland’s tournament was one of O’Connell’s duties and from a personal point of view, he says the possibility of looming retirement won’t change a thing.
“I wouldn’t approach it any differently and I haven’t thought about it that way at all. I don’t know whether this will be my last championship; he [nods towards Schmidt] will probably have more of a say in that than I would,” laughed the Munster lock.