Paul O’Connell Makes Huge Revelation Regarding Modern Day Rugby

Paul O’Connell says improvements in discipline has made the game “almost unrecognisable” in comparison to when he first entered the the sport.

The former Ireland, Lions and Munster captain was speaking on Off The Ball tonight, discussing his new book and how rugby has completely changed since his days as a young lock coming up the ranks in Munster.

“If you look at a rugby match now, there’s no foul play whatsoever. That’s one thing that World Rugby has completely eradicated from the game.

It used to be part and parcel to the game. If two guys dig the head off each other, the referee would make them shake hands and go back and play.

But now that’s a red card all day and night and you’ll get a long suspension. But when I started, it wasn’t like that,” he said.

“If someone tried to do something to you, you couldn’t let him away with it – even if it meant a penalty against your team.

Now, that is what you do. You do not retaliate. Getting the penalty, getting the three points, getting 60 metres down the pitch, we’ve obviously worked out is way better for the team. But that was the attitude and culture back then.”

He added that the rugby is “almost unrecognisable in terms of discipline now”. [Newstalk]