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9th February 2016
05:05pm GMT

"You just look at the success of the teams he's played, Munster and Ireland, in over the last eight to 10 years to see what an impact he made. "He's been the centre of their success, which really says what a great player he has been. "He was a tough, uncompromising leader. He was centre of the lineout, he could run a lineout, contest a lineout and he was brutal around the paddock. "The game will miss him. Munster and Ireland will miss him. But I'm sure he'll retire with good memories."
England back row Haskell recalled the battles he had with O'Connell on the pitch, where the two didn't always see eye to eye.
"I played against him many times," he said. "We've had a couple of shared opinions from time to time but I have the upmost respect for him. "The amazing thing about the World Cup was that all those Kiwis got to go out the way they wanted, on a high. "He hasn't had that but he has had an amazing career and will go down as an Irish legend."
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