Remembering Paul O’Connell’s incredible answer on a Question of Sport

He received a standing ovation for the answer.

Paul O’Connell will always be remembered as one of the greatest Ireland second-rows ever to play the game.

He also produced possibly the best ever answer in the history of BBC sports show a Question of Sport.

A Munster legend, O’Connell won European Cups, a Grand Slam, Six Nations titles, Triple Crowns and of course, he also captained the British and Irish Lions on the tour of South Africa in 2009.

The Limerick man is held in incredibly high esteem by the rugby public. His knowledge of sport doesn’t lie solely with the oval ball, either.

In 2016, O’Connell was invited onto the BBC’s popular sports quiz programme ‘A Question of Sport’.

The long-running TV quiz show has seen some of the biggest names in world sport take part over the years.

However, the former second-row made one of the biggest impressions in recent memory when he answered what looked to be an impossible question.

After teammate AP McCoy answered a correct question, O’Connell’s team were given two letters in a lengthy two-word solution.

O’Connell stepped up and shyly provided a guess which turned out to be correct.

With just two out of the 23 spaces filled, O’Connell managed to correctly guess the correct answer – German club Borussia Mönchengladbach. The answer brought the house down.

Phil Tuffnell, captain of O’Connell’s team, was gobsmacked. England World Cup winner Matt Dawson, and opposing team captain, was so impressed with the answer that he began a standing ovation.

Check it out below:

Originally published on April 25, 2020.

Read More About: A Question Of Sport, ireland rugby, munster rugby, paul o'connell

Author: Sean McMahon

Sean is Deputy Editor and head rugby writer. You can contact him by email seanmc@punditarena.com or on Twitter View all posts by Sean McMahon