Ireland name O'Connell as Six Nations captain

Paul O'Connell will captain Ireland in this season's Six Nations Championship, the Irish Rugby Football Union has announced.

The Ireland coach, Declan Kidney, has turned to the Munster lock in the absence of regular skipper Brian O'Driscoll, who will miss the tournament while recovering from shoulder surgery. O'Connell was captain of the 2009 British and Irish Lions in South Africa, and he will lead Ireland out for their Six Nations opener against Wales in Dublin on 5 February.