RUGBY:THIS JOB will be nothing new to Paul O'Connell. Munster captain since replacing Anthony Foley in 2006 and British and Irish Lions leader on tour to South Africa in 2009, the Ireland captaincy was officially handed over yesterday for the upcoming Six Nations.

O’Connell first led out his country against France in 2004 and was also at the helm for the historic first match at Croke Park, also against the French, in 2007.

In typical Declan Kidney fashion, it was not termed as a permanent changing of the guard. The role will be reviewed when Brian O’Driscoll recovers from surgery on a trapped nerve in his shoulder.

“I have been lucky to have played for my country on 82 occasions and during that time I have always felt that the responsibility of leadership should not just rest on the shoulders of Brian and that the senior players are incredibly important,” said O’Connell in a press release.

“We are lucky in the Ireland squad that we have a couple of outstanding leaders across the pitch and I know that I will be relying on them during the championship.”

The Ireland squad are in Carton House, until lunchtime today, to begin preparations for the Six Nations opener against Wales in Dublin on February 5th.

The full championship squad will be announced on January 16th with a return to camp after round six of the Heineken Cup on January 22nd.

“With Brian (O’Driscoll) on the rehab trail at the moment, we knew that we had to plan for the captaincy and felt that it was fitting that we announce it at the Christmas camp in front of the squad,” said Kidney.

It is also apparent that the coaching briefs of defence coach Les Kiss and kicking coach Mark Tainton will be expanded into the realms of Ireland’s attacking strategies. There was not deemed to be enough time to find a replacement for backs coach Alan Gaffney despite the IRFU announcing last July that they would not be renewing his contract after the World Cup.