Paul O'Connell is pictured above during his ill fated last game for Ireland - their 24-9 victory over France in the
2015 World Cup Finals. The match took place in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium and Paul suffered a torn hamstring
pull in the first half that required surgery thus ending his International career.
He had intended to retire at the end of the Tournament. He scored eight tries for Ireland.
Below are more images of the match in Cardiff.
POOL D.
IRELAND (50) v (7) CANADA. Saturday September 18th. 2015. Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. 68,523.
Tries: O'Brien ,Henderson, Cronin, R.Kearney (2), Payne, Sexton,
van der Merwe, Cons: Jonny Sexton (3), Ian Madigan (3),
Hirayama, Pens: Sexton (1)
IRELAND.
15. Rob Kearney, 14. David Kearney, 13. Jared Payne, 12. Luke Fitzgerald, 11. Keith Earls,
10. Jonathan Sexton, 9. Conor Murray, 8. Jamie Heaslip, 7. Seán O'Brien, 6. Peter O'Mahony
5. Paul O'Connell (c), 4. Iain Henderson, 3. Mike Ross, 2. Rory Best, 1. Jack McGrath.
Replacements.
16. Sean Cronin (61 min) , 17. Cian Healy (61 min), 18. Nathan White (61 min), 19. Donnacha Ryan (74 min)
20. Chris Henry (63 min), 21. Eoin Reddan (66 min), 22. Ian Madigan (56 min), 23. Simon Zebo (79 min).
CANADA.
15. Matt Evans, 14. Jeff Hassler, 13. Ciaran Hearn, 12. Nick Blevins, 11. D.T. H. van der Merwe,
10. Nathan Hirayama, 9. Gordon McRorie, 8. Aaron Carpenter, 7. John Moonlight, 6. Kyle Gilmour,
5. Jamie Cudmore (c), 4. Brett Beukeboom, 3. Doug Wooldridge, 2. Ray Barkwill, 1. Hubert Buydens.
Replacements.
16. Benoit Piffero (63 min), 17. Djustice Sears-Duru (4 min), 18. Andrew Tiedemann (66 min), 19. Jebb Sinclair (48 min),
20. Richard Thorpe (75 min), 21. Phil Mack (48 min,) 22. Liam Underwood (41 min), 23. Conor Trainor (41 min).
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand).
IRELAND (44) v (10) RUMANIA. Sunday September 27th. 2015. Wembley Stadium, London. 89,267.
Tries: Bowe 19 & 62 mins, Earls 29 & 44 mins, R Kearney 65 min, Henry 74 min, Tonita 78 min Cons: Madigan (4) Vlaicu.
Pens: Madigan (2).
IRELAND:
15. Simon Zebo, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Jared Payne, 12. Darren Cave, 11. Keith Earls, 10. Ian Madigan
9. Eoin Reddan, 8. Jamie Heaslip (c), 7. Chris Henry, 6. Jordi Murphy, 5. Devin Toner, 4. Donnacha Ryan,
3. Nathan White, 2. Richardt Strauss, 1. Cian Healy.
Replacements: 22. Paddy Jackson for Bowe (56 min), 23. Rob Kearney for Earls (50 min), 17. Jack McGrath for Healy (54 min),
16. Sean Cronin for Strauss (60 min), 18. Tadhg Furlong for White (64 min), 19. Paul O'Connell for Ryan (64 min),
20. Sean O'Brien for Heaslip (60 min), 21. Conor Murray for Rob Kearney (72 min).
RUMANIA:
15. Cătălin Fercu, 14. Adrian Apostol, 13. Paula Kinikinilau, 12. Csaba Gál, 11. Ionuț Botezatu,
10. Michael Wiringi, 9. Valentin Calafeteanu, 8. Daniel Carpo, 7. Mihai Macovei (c), 6. Viorel Lucaci,
5. Ovidiu Tonița, 4. Valentin Popîrlan, 3. Ion Paulică, 2. Andrei Rădoi, 1. Andrei Ursache.
Replacements: 22. Florin Ionita for Apostol (54 min), 23. Florin Vlaicu for Wiringi (69 min), 21. Florin Surugiu for Calafeteanu (69 min),
18. Alexandru Tarus for A. Ursache (54 min), 16. Otar Turashvili for Radoi (57 min), 17. Mihai Lazar for Ion (69 min),
19. Stellian Burcea for Lucaci (60 min), 19. Johannes van Heerden for Burcea (61 min).
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa).
IRELAND (16) v (9) ITALY. Sunday October 4th. 2015. Olympic Stadium, London, England. (52,187).
Tries: Earls, Con: Sexton, Allan (3). Pen: Sexton (3).
IRELAND:
15. Simon Zebo, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Dave Kearney, 10. Jonathan Sexton,
9. Conor Murray, 8. Jamie Heaslip, 7. Seán O'Brien, 6. Peter O'Mahony, 5. Paul O'Connell (c), 4. Iain Henderson,
3. Mike Ross, 2. Rory Best, 1. Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 23. Luke Fitzgerald for Earls (76 min), 20. Chris Healy for McGrath (58 min), 16. Sean Cronin for Best (70 min),
18. Nathan White for Ross (58 min), 19. Devin Toner for Henderson (67 min), 20 Chris Henry for O'Brien (67 min).
ITALY:
15. Luke McLean, 14. Leonardo Sarto, 13. Michele Campagnaro, 12. Gonzalo Garcia, 11. Giovanbattista Venditti,
10. Tommaso Allan, 9. Edoardo Gori, 8. Sergio Parisse (c), 7. Simone Favaro, 6. Francesco Minto, 5. Joshua Furno,
4. Quintin Geldenhuys, 3. Lorenzo Cittadini, 2. Andrea Manici, 1. Matías Agüero
Replacements: 22. Carlo Canna for Allan (65 min), 21. Gugliemo Palazzani for Gori (76 min), 17. Michele Rizzo for Aguero (62 min),
16. Davide Giazzon for Manici (42 min), 18. Dario Chistolini for Cittadini (62 min), 20. Mauro Bergamasco for Favaro (67 min).
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France).
IRELAND (24) v (9) FRANCE. Sunday 11th. October 2015. Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. (72,163).
Tries: R Kearney (50 min), Murray (72 min). Cons: Madigan. Pens: Sexton (2), Madigan (2), Spedding (2), Parra.
IRELAND:
15. Rob Kearney, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Dave Kearney, 10. Jonathan Sexton,
9. Conor Murray, 8. Jamie Heaslip, 7. Seán O'Brien, 6. Peter O'Mahony, 5. Paul O'Connell (c), 4. Devin Toner,
3. Mike Ross, 2. Rory Best, 1. Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16. Richardt Strauss for Best (73 min), 17. Jack McGrath for Healy (57 min), 18. Nathan White for Ross (65 min
19. Iain Henderson for O'Connell (40 min), 20. Chris Henry for O'Mahony (55 min), 21. Eoin Reddan for Murray (76 min),
22. Ian Madigan for Sexton (25 min), 23. Luke Fitzgerald for Earls (62 min).
FRANCE:
15. Scott Spedding, 14. Noa Nakaitaci, 13. Mathieu Bastareaud, 12. Wesley Fofana, 11. Brice Dulin,
10. Frédéric Michalak, 9. Sébastien Tillous-Borde, 8. Louis Picamoles, 7. Damien Chouly, 6. Thierry Dusautoir (c),
5. Yoann Maestri, 4. Pascal Papé, 3. Rabah Slimani, 2. Guilhem Guirado, 1. Eddy Ben Arous.
Replacements: 16. Benjamin Kayser for Guiardo (58 min), 17. Vincent Debaty for Ben Arous (43 min), 18. Nicolas Mas for Slimani (63 min),
19. Alexandre Flanquart for Pape (73 min), 20. Bernard Le Roux for Chouly (55 min), 21. Morgan Parra for Tillous-Borde (55 min),
22. Remi Tales for Michalak (55 min), 19. Alexandre Dumoulin for Bastareaud (62 min).
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).
