O'Connell admits to cold frustration

by JP Lonergan , 12 February 2012

Ireland captain Paul O'Connell admitted that his team-mates were not in good humour after the late postponing of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations fixture in France.


The game, scheduled for 9pm local time at the Stade de France, was called off at the 11th hour due to concerns over the safety of the pitch in freezing conditions.

The last-gasp calling off of the poorly scheduled fixture, which had earlier survived a pitch inspection, left the legions of Irish fans who had travelled in limbo, with a possible rescheduling for March 2 doing little to warm them up.

And O’Connell says the players also feel at a loss, especially given that they were kitted out and ready to play despite temperatures indicating all week that the game might not happen.

"It's very frustrating," O’Connell was quoted as saying by the Irish Independent. "We were prepared to play.

“I wasn't down that side of the pitch myself. Jonny (Sexton) had been down there taking a few kicks and he didn't think it was great either and he was saying (France's) Morgan (Parra) was gesticulating to them that it wasn't great either.

"I didn't see it myself but we were ready to play. I was full sure just before we walked out that it was going to go ahead. It is frustrating."

Irish coach Declan Kidney was equally frustrated, not least for the huge travelling support who had travelled over from Ireland. He added: "I'm disappointed for the supporters, especially at home now the way the cost of things and what people have put into it.”

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