O'Connell is named Ireland captain

What does it mean for ireland? Anyone have thoughts on who else might have been considered and/or would you have chosen POC?

Personally I would have taken the opportunity to change things a little. I would have given Heaslip a shot at it.

What worries me is that this shows no inventive thinking on the part of Declan Kidney, I'm worried he intends to keep playing the same style of rugby this year and lets be honest here, when we look at Leinster in the Heineken cup top seeds, in the domestic league top of the table you have to ask the question why Ireland are not playing that style of rugby. A style which has been so effective in Europe for Leinster, making them feared by all other teams.

---Article---
Paul O'Connell will lead Ireland into the 2012 RBS Six Nations Championship after being named as captain by Ireland coach Declan Kidney.

O'Connell replaces Brian O'Driscoll as team captain as he continues his rehabilitation from surgery on a trapped nerve in his shoulder and has been ruled out of the RBS Six Nations Championship.

The Ireland squad began preparations for the championship today at a short two-day training camp, where O'Connell was announced as the team captain.

O'Connell, the current Munster captain, has the experience of having already led Ireland at international level. He took charge of Ireland for the first time against France in 2004 and was skipper as recently as August against England in the Guinness Summer Series.

He also has the added experience of being the captain of the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 2009.

O'Connell said: "The greatest ambition in a player's career is to play for your country, so to captain Ireland is a huge honour for me and I was delighted when Declan asked me to.

"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 [O'Driscoll] and that the senior players are incredibly important.

"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.

"I think the squad is in a good place at the moment with the majority of the provinces going well in Europe and in the Rabo, so it's a case of players continuing to play well to get themselves into a position to be selected in that first squad and then working hard for what I think will be an ultra competitive Six Nations.

"It was good to come back together for the first time since the World Cup and I am now just looking forward to February and to the challenge of the championship."

Ireland coach Kidney commented: "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.

"There are a number of players with strong leadership credentials in the squad who have always been supportive of the captaincy and will be important during the championship.

"Paul has always been one of those leaders in the squad and I was delighted that he accepted the honour and the responsibilities that it brings.

"I know that he will bring through his experience to the position in the championship."

Ireland open their Six Nations 2012 against Wales at Aviva Stadium on 5 February.
---End---